Adventures in Acirema
by bigC94
Summary: Join Ash and Pikachu as they embark on an exciting new journey through the Acirema Region! Meet some brand new friends and reunite with old friends as well. Will Ash be able to collect all eight badges and defeat the Acirema Pokemon Championship and what shenanigans will he get himself into next? Find out in Adventures in Acirema! AAML, DAML, luckshipping, and others.
1. Chapter 1: A New Friend

**Wow, can't believe I'm actually doing this. This is my first story on so go easy on me guys and gals! Just kidding, I will accept any type of review you leave, whether it be extremely optimistic or profanity-laden and confidence-shattering. This story follows Ash as he embarks on a new journey through the Acirema Region! The Acirema Region does not exist (obviously) I made it up, but you'll learn more about this new region as Ash journeys on!**

* * *

When the ship hit dock Ash was the first to hit land. He ran off with the same childish anticipation that he had the night before he had received his first Pokémon. Ash looked around in awe as he saw the many plazas filled with all types of shops and small restaurants. A flock of Wingull flew overhead and landed on the pier, cocking their heads side to side and waiting for the tourists to drop some food like they always did. All sorts of smells barricaded his nose as he took a deep breath of the salty air. His grin was ear to ear while he read the sign before him.

"Welcome to Mal, Acirema. We made it Pikachu, we're in the Acirema Region!" shouted Ash with glee as tourists began to exit the ship and jostle him as they tried to get around him.

"Hey, watch it!" Ash exclaimed as he pushed his way through the thousands of tourists eager to see some sights. Ash, however, was not in Acirema for sight-seeing. He had only one thing on his mind.

"All right Pikachu, we have to find out where the nearest gym is," said Ash as he darted around frantically.

"_Perhaps you should ask a local. Look over there," _Pikachu pointed to a small shop at the end of one of the plazas. The shop was very plain looking and appeared to have two floors, the first floor being where things were sold and the top where the owner probably lived. Over the front window was a sign labeled Bicicletas.

"Bicicletas?" a very confused Ash read aloud. "What's a Bicicleta?"

Pikachu did a face palm. "_Look in the window. I swear if I didn't love you I would leave your sorry ass on the street to die alone."_

"Ohhhhh," said an enlightened Ash as he saw a shiny red bike in the window of the shop, "Why didn't they just say Bikes?"

"_Bicicleta means bicycle in Spanish, Ash. Mal is a city with a very large Hispanic population, so there will probably be several shops with signs like these," _explained Pikachu.

"Really…" replied Ash. He had never really met a Hispanic person before. He had heard of them and seen them in cartoons on T.V. They had really funny accents and spoke a really fast language he couldn't understand.

"_Ash!" _Pikachu shook Ash and brought him back to the real world. "_Come on, let's go inside. The owner probably has some maps of the region or knows the land well._"

"Right, we've gotta find a gym soon!" Ash exclaimed as that same childish delight stirred up in him once again as he imagined all the battles he would soon have. Ash and Pikachu entered the shop and looked around. There were bikes everywhere! Bikes hanging from the ceiling, bikes on tables, and bikes lining the floor; there were so many that it was hard to walk through the shop. Suddenly, one bike caught his eye. He walked towards it and slowly ran his hand down the frame. The bike had red rims, an orange frame, and blue fenders.

"This is just like Misty's bike…" Ash said to himself as he closed his eyes and smiled. He remembered all the good times he and Misty had together and even though she could be crazy sometimes, she was more than a friend to him. He couldn't help a single tear rolling down his cheek.

"You like that bike, hombre?" asked a Hispanic man who began to walk up to Ash and Pikachu. He was about the same height as Ash, maybe a half inch shorter, and well built. He appeared to be in his late teens, Ash guessed he was about 19 or 20. He had short, buzz cut black hair and short stubble on his face. He wore a white wife beater tank top with khaki cargo shorts and sneakers. Ash noticed a small tattoo of a cross on the left side of his neck as he got closer. Ash quickly wiped the tear from his eye, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Eh, it's not the most macho bike I've got at the shop, but it sure is durable. Hell, I bet it could take a shock or two from that Pikachu of yours!" exclaimed the man. The man then chuckled to himself a bit. Ash was a bit taken aback by the man's statement, but quickly composed himself.

"Sorry, I'm not looking to buy this bike. It's just that…well, this is a lot like the bike a friend of mine used to have…a very special friend of mine," explained Ash.

"Oh, I see…was she pretty? I knew this girl once, her name was Natalia, sweetest thing. She loved bicicletas, oh man, me and her would spend hours riding bikes around the countryside. She had this long, raven-black hair that sailed with the wind as we rode. I met her in this very shop…" said the man as he became lost in thought.

"She wasn't my girlfriend!" Ash snapped. The man was startled as he came out of his daze. He then smirked and nodded his head.

"Oh, I understand. She wasn't your girlfriend just a "friend with benefits". You two never got close but you sure did get close if you know what I'm talkin bout! I've had a few of those myself. They're great if you just want to have sex but…you know, there's a difference between havin' sex and makin' love. I've had a lot of sex, but the only time I ever actually made love was with Natalia. I miss that you know, having a girl whose your best friend that you can trust with everything. A girl who's your whole world. And when you have sex, you're not just _having sex_, your _making love_. You feel me, ese?"

"Yeah, I guess," Ash slowly replied, "but she wasn't my friend with benefits either! She was just a friend. We traveled around together for a really long time and we never had sex or really did anything romantic; we were just really good friends. Can't a guy and a girl just be friends?"

"No," the man replied quickly.

"Why not?" Ash was surprised by the response.

"You must have had some kind of attraction to her?" asked the man.

"Well…we were really good friends and I did trust her a lot. But like I said, we never did anything. I was sad whenever she had to go back to Cerulean City to take over the gym, and she was especially upset when she had to leave," Ash chuckled to himself for a bit, "We did get into a lot of arguments, but they were much ado about nothing, we were only ten you know. I guess since I was so young I hadn't developed the part of me that would have let me fall in love with Misty. Now that I look back…" Ash paused, then closed his eyes again.

"Wow, it was that long ago?" asked the man who could clearly tell that the kid in front of him was no longer a ten.

"Yeah, I'm 18 so I should be over her by now but…I guess she just left an impression on me," said Ash.

"I know how you feel, bro," replied the man as he stared off into the distance, "I felt the same way with Natalia. We were the best of friends, like two peas in a Metapod. I…I know it sounds all mushy and shit but I really think we were meant for each other. But we had to go our separate ways and…hah, look at me! Having a heart-to-heart with some guy I don't even know!" The man then stuck out his hand. "My name's Emmanuel Ortiz, but my friends call my Manuel."

"I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town," Ash replied, returning the hand shake. The expression on Manuel's face completely changed.

"Whoa, wait a minute bro, are you kidding me right now? You're THE Ash Ketchum! Oh man, you are, how did I not realize it before?" exclaimed Manuel.

"I'm assuming you've heard of me before," said Ash who was now in his signature pose of closed eyes and a smile with his hand behind his head.

"Heard of you? Bro, you're Ash Ketchum! You saved the world like a million times man! You're a legend on the streets, you wouldn't believe it. Ash Ketchum, in my shop, who woulda thought it. So what brings you to my humble little bike shop?" asked Manuel.

"Well, I'm here in Acirema to take on the Acirema Pokémon Championship. But I can't do that until I get all 8 badges. So I'm looking for the nearest gym," explained Ash.

"Hmm, sorry to say this but we don't have a gym in Mal. However, there is a gym over in Goldpond Town," Manuel pulled out a map and pointed to the city, "we are here in Mal, and Goldpond is there."

"All the way there," Ash frowned, "Well I guess I'd better get a move on then."

"Yeah, you want a bike, ese? It's going to be a long trip," asked Manuel.

"Nah, I prefer to travel on foot. That way I get a good lay of the land and catch some Pokémon while I'm at it. The only Pokémon I have with me right now is Pikachu. I left all the others back at the lab with Professor Oak so I could get a fresh start," Ash explained.

"You know, I've never been to Kanto and Pikachu aren't indigenous to Acirema, so I've never seen one before," said Manuel as he petted Pikachu behind her ears. Pikachu smiled at the friendly man's touch.

"Indigenous?" asked Ash, once again confused. Manuel laughed.

"Sorry, I forgot, they say you're not the sharpest tool in the shed. It means that Pikachu aren't found in the wild here. This isn't their natural habitat," explained Manuel with a smile.

"Hey!" Ash got a little defensive. "I may not be the smartest, but I'm a damn good battler!"

"So I've heard," replied Manuel.

"By the way, you wouldn't happen to have a phone here would you? It may sound a little childish but I have to call my mom. I always give her a call when I get to a new region, she worries if I don't," said Ash with a slight blush.

"No problem man, I know how it is. Mi mama would get muy nerviosa if I didn't call her every once in a while. The phones over in the corner," Manuel pointed to the back corner of the room. Ash and Pikachu walked over to the phone and dialed the number. Delia appeared on the screen.

"Hi Ash, how are you honey?" she asked with a smile.

"I'm fine mom, how are things back at home?" Ash replied.

"Well, I just burned a batch of cookies so I'm not so happy about that. Other than that everything's just like it always is, you know Pallet," answered Delia. Suddenly, a loud crash was heard in the background followed by a groan.

"What was that!" asked Ash. No sooner had the question left his lips did Professor Oak appear on the screen.

"Sorry about that Delia, I tripped over Mr. Mime's foot," said Oak with a slight blush, "Oh, is that Ash?"

"Sure is! Hey Professor Oak, how are things back at the lab?"

"Quite busy actually, I've been selected to host the annual Research and Development Conference this year. I haven't hosted in a while so your mother and I along with Tracey and Gary have been frantically getting the lab ready for all the brilliant minds that will be making their way into town within the next week," explained Oak.

"Really? Sounds like fun, too bad I can't be there," said Ash.

"I know, but research isn't your thing so you would probably grow bored of it after a while. That reminds me of a poem: A Magicarp on land is out of its element. So too, is a Trainer in a lab," Ash sweat dropped while Oak just grinned at his self-proclaimed genius, "Well, I'd better head back to the lab to check on Tracey and Gary. Goodbye Ash," said Professor Oak.

"See ya Professor, say hi to Tracey and Gary for me!" exclaimed Ash.

"Of course," replied Professor Oak as he sauntered off screen.

"Samuel is something else isn't he," said Delia with a smile.

"Sure is," replied Ash.

"Oh, who's your friend there Ash?" asked Delia. Ash turned around and saw Manuel standing behind him.

"Hi, my name is Manuel, mam," said Manuel with a smile.

"Hello, I'm Ash's mother, how are you?" asked Delia.

"I'm doing fine. I just wanted you to know that you raised one great son, mam. What with him saving the world and all," said Manuel.

"Oh I know," replied Delia with a smile, "I am proud of my Ash."

"Mom, you're embarrassing me," Ash said with a blush.

"So is Manuel your latest travel buddy? You make friends so quickly Ash," asked Delia.

"Well we haven't really talked about that," Ash said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Oh, well have fun whatever you do. I'd better go now. Just remember to brush your teeth, eat your vegetables and change your underwear sweetie," said Delia with a wink.

"MOM!" exclaimed Ash.

"Goodbye sweetie," Delia smiled.

"Bye mom," said Ash as he disconnected the call. He turned around and faced Manuel. "What's the big idea man, eavesdropping on my conversation?" he asked with a frown.

"No way, ese! I was just walking by when your mom caught sight of me. By the way, you've got one good looking mom bro," replied Manuel.

"Aw, come on man!" exclaimed Ash.

"I'm sorry hombre, but your mom is a babe," Manuel grinned sheepishly.

"So, do you wanna come with or no?" asked Ash, eager to change the subject.

"Do I want to travel with the legendary Ash Ketchum? Do you even have to ask that question, hell yeah I do!" exclaimed Manuel.

"Awesome!" replied Ash as he leapt out the chair. "Let's get going then!"

"Slow your roll, bro. You've gotta at least let me pack some things!" Manuel pleaded.

"All right, but make it quick. I'm just itching for a battle!" exclaimed Ash.

"Ok, how about I go upstairs and pack, while you go to the Pokemart for some supplies?" asked Manuel. Ash nodded. Manuel quickly scribbled out a list of supplies and handed Ash some cash. "That should be enough, don't take too long though," said Manuel.

"Don't worry, I won't!" exclaimed Ash as he grabbed the money and darted out the door, eager to start his next journey with his new friend.

* * *

**It seems Ash has made a new friend in this foreign region and is missing an old one. Will Ash be able to stand much longer without a battle? What surprises await Ash, Pikachu and Manuel as they embark on their new journey? Will Ash ever get to tell Misty how he truly feels? (brace yourselves, the AAML is coming! Picture Ned Stark) Can Ash even make it to the Pokemart without exploding with anticipation!? Find out in the next exciting installment of Adventures in Acirema! Now a few A/Ns. OMG Pikachu is a GIRL? In this fic, she is because I say so. Did you like Professor Oak's little poem, I miss the old days with Professor Oak and his poems. If you didn't notice, Acirema is America backwards because I'm not creative (shame on you bigC94!) Also, because I am not creative I will not be coming up with 150+ original Pokemon for this region. Since my favorite regions are Kanto and Hoenn, the Pokemon found in Acirema will be a mix of Pokemon indigenous to Kanto & Hoenn. Do not fear though, because the starter Pokemon will be original as well as a few others. Also, I will make this an interactive story with the audience. If YOU are creative, leave a review with a description of an original idea for a Pokemon. Please be as descriptive as you can including height, weight, color, physical appearance, favorite Pokemon food, cry, emotionally scarring backstory...etc. You can also do the same for an original character and if I deem your character or Pokemon worthy I just may feature it in the story along with credit to you in the A/N. Remember, leave a review with the descriptions, or PM me if you don't want someone else to see your idea before it debuts. Well, that's about it; I don't know about you, but I'm excited as this is my first story! Remember to stay tuned for the next installment and Favorite, Review, Alert, all that good stuff AND leave a Review/PM with your very own original Pokemon/Character! Just make sure its more creative than Vanillite-Vanillish-Vanilluxe...a freaking ice cream cone?! I...just...why?**


	2. Chapter 2: I Knew You Were Trouble

**A couple of A/N before the next exciting installment of Adventures in Acirema! All long official names of things will be acronymized (that's not a word btw, unless you want it to be) i.e. the Acirema Pokemon Championship (APC) and the dozens of other bureaucratic groups of bureacracy that I will no doubt come up with. Also, I don't own the rights to the song "I Knew You Were Trouble". Those belong to Taylor Swift; so don't sue me, but feel free to write a song about me or my work, all I ask is for 10%...ok 7%? But enough prattle, lets get on with the show! When we last left off, Ash met a new friend and the two shared similar stories of past loves. Now Ash has been tasked with picking up supplies from the Pokemart. But if there's one thing we know about Ash, it's that the smallest things can lead to the greatest discoveries!**

* * *

Ash nearly fell over as he darted into the Pokemart. Pikachu was obviously startled and a little ticked off by his actions.

"_Jeez, could you warn me the next time you decide to crush the life out of me?_" she said sarcastically. Ash paid her comment no mind and instead rushed to the second isle labeled "Travel Supplies".

"Let's see," Ash said, not realizing he was vocalizing his thoughts as he quickly pulled items off the shelves, "Super Potions, Full Restores, Antidotes, oh those are always handy…"

"_A bit eager to start, are we?"_ Pikachu smiled. Once again, Ash did not answer Pikachu, which made her a bit angry. So, she retaliated with a slight Thundershock.

"Owww! What was that for?" exclaimed Ash. The shock wasn't powerful enough to be harmful, but because he was not paying attention it came so abruptly that he wasn't prepared and thus it hurt a little more than it normally would.

"_If there's one lesson you still haven't learned Ash, it's that women DO NOT like to be ignored!"_ Pikachu replied.

"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention. It's just that I'm so…" Ash began before he cut himself off. He then began to pay very close attention to a familiar voice he heard coming from the next isle over.

"Excuse me miss, would you like to be my girlfrien? I left the D out because you'll get that later," said the voice. This was followed by a "Get away from me you creep!" and a slap. There was only one person Ash knew who had those kind of advances.

"Brock-o!" Ash exclaimed as he walked into the next isle and saw Brock rubbing his face. Brock had grown a full beard which was close cut. He also wore the same outfit he wore in Sinnoh, only he substituted the orange vest for a white lab coat.

"Ash, what a surprise! I would have never expected to see you here," said Brock with a smile.

"Neither would I!" Ash replied "What was that all about?"

Brock smiled. "Well, you see, I've been trying a more direct approach with women. I've heard that nice guys finish last, so I'm trying a different approach. So far it hasn't been going too well…" explained Brock.

"Wow, well I have to admit that was a pretty funny pick up line though," said Ash with a chuckle.

"Yeah, I've been getting better with practice," Brock smiled, "so what brings you to Acirema?"

"Simple, I'm going to earn all 8 badges and take on the APC!" exclaimed Ash as the thoughts of battling filled his head once again.

"I should have known," replied Brock.

"Why are _you_ here though?" asked Ash.

"Well, after I became a Pokémon doctor I was given an assignment here in Acirema. I have to go to every Pokémon center in the region and make sure that the Nurse Joys are complying to the International Pokémon Health Association standards. It's not the most fun job, but at least I get to travel…and meet more Nurse Joys!" said Brock with a grin.

"Sounds boring," said Ash, then he got an idea. "Hey! Why don't you travel with me and Manuel?" asked Ash.

"_Manuel and I! I swear sometimes you use the most terrible grammar,_" Pikachu corrected while rolling her eyes. Ash shot her a glance but did not reply.

"Who's Manuel?" asked Brock.

"Oh right, you never met him. Well, he's a really cool guy I met who owns the local bike shop. He's coming along with me and Pikachu since he knows the region a lot better than we do," explained Ash.

"You know, that would work. I have to go to every city anyway and there's no set time that I have to be finished. Yeah, let's do this!" exclaimed Brock.

"Great, now I just have to find the rest of these supplies and we can hit the road!"

* * *

On their way to the bike shop, Ash and Brock were reminiscing on some of the crazy adventures they had in the past when Brock was strongly shoved by a large Hispanic man. He wore a white wife beater like Manuel, and khaki cargo pants. The man had muscular, well-defined arms lined with tattoos. The most distinct of his tattoos was a large Arbok on his head. The head of the Arbok was on his forehead, with the hood of the Arbok covering the top of his bald head and the body and tail going down the back of his neck. He also had a gold chain with a large cross hanging on the end around his neck. His was about four inches taller than Brock and was very menacing. Brock and Ash shrunk back in fear as he towered over them. Naturally, Pikachu took an attack stance to protect her friends. The man had two other smaller, but equally menacing, men by his sides.

"Hey, what was that about?" asked Brock.

"Who the hell do you think you are, hombre?" asked the man.

"Excuse me?" asked Brock, now getting a little defensive.

"You know what I'm talking about. You're the bastard that was flirting with my sister!" exclaimed the man.

"Wait, that was _your sister_!" said Brock who was very shocked at this point. "I didn't mean anything by it, I flirt with almost every girl I meet. If it means anything she's very beautiful."

"Oh really," the man laughed, "you said she's gonna get the D later, hombre? Well, how about I give you something for later?" The man then pulled out an M9 9mm Beretta. Ash and Brock took a few steps back while Pikachu growled.

"Hold on now, violence is never the answer!" exclaimed Ash, sweat running down the back of his neck.

"No one asked your punk-ass for a comment did they?" said the man with a scowl. He turned back to Brock. "You're lucky we're out here in the open, or else I'd bust a few caps in your black ass. Just know, if I ever catch you around my part of town, you're a dead man!" and with that, the man and his entourage left.

"Well that guy wasn't very friendly," Ash said with a blink.

"_I was 5 seconds from shocking that punk, whether you gave the command or not he was about to be toast!_" exclaimed Pikachu.

"I don't know if that would have been such a great idea," Ash pointed out.

"_I don't care, no one pulls a 9 on my friends without consequences!_" Pikachu stated firmly.

"Who was that guy anyway?" Brock wondered.

"I don't know, but Manuel knows this city well; maybe he'll know who the guy is," Ash suggested.

"Good idea, let's go ask him," Brock said.

* * *

Ash and Brock ran into the bike shop and were met by a slightly annoyed Manuel.

"What took you so long, ese?" asked Manuel. Then he noticed Brock and was a little surprised. "What's up doc?" Manuel joked.

"Brock this is Manuel, Manuel this is Brock," Ash hurried them through their introductions.

"Man, you're that eager to go?" asked Manuel with a smile. "Sorry, but I don't play guests like that. How's it going Brock, I'm Emmanuel Ortiz, but my friends call me Manuel. Can I offer you a drink, I've got some Scotch in the back."

"Actually, after what we just went through I could use a glass," admitted Brock. Brock and Ash followed Manuel to the back of the shop and through a door. They entered what appeared to be a living room. The walls were lined with old brick and the floor was hardwood. Inside the new room there was a sofa, a loveseat, an antique-looking coffee table, a large HDTV mounted on the wall and some game systems. He pulled out a bottle of scotch and poured a glass for himself and Brock. He lifted a glass towards Ash and raised an eyebrow.

"No thanks," Ash replied. Manuel shrugged his shoulders and knocked back the small glass before pouring himself another.

"So, what took you guys so long?" Manuel asked again as he swirled around the second glass.

"We ran into some trouble on the street," explained Ash, "earlier at the Pokemart Brock was flirting with some girl, which I guess ticked off some thug and his goons. He threatened Brock with a 9mm and said if he ever saw us "around his part of town" Brock would be dead." Upon hearing the news, Manuel's complexion completely changed. He had a look of worry and fear on his face and knocked back the second glass of scotch then quickly poured a third.

"I'm going to venture a guess that you know this guy?" asked Brock who noticed the concern.

"Did the guy have a bald head with a tattoo of an Arbok on it?" asked Manuel, although he already knew what their answer would be.

"Yes," replied Brock. Manuel closed his eyes and frowned for a second, then looked back up at Ash and Brock.

"That guy was Duro, he's the leader of the notorious Pokémon gang known as the Dons. There are two gangs that run this city, the Dons and the Gores. The Dons are the Hispanic gang while the Gores are the Black gang. The Dons and Gores aren't like your typical Teams in Kanto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh though, these guys are hardcore thugs. They aren't afraid to kill a man and they run the streets. They've also got the city government by the balls so there's no calling an officer Jenny once you get on their bad side. There are two things that Duro hates, people who mess with his family, and members of the Gores. Brock is dark skinned so he probably assumed that you were a member of the Gores, which made him even more angry than if you were just some normal guy flirting with his sister. If I were you, I'd stay away from any Don as Duro probably told them all to keep a lookout for you," explained Manuel.

"So how can you tell the difference between a Don and a Gore because the other guys didn't have tattoos of Arboks on their heads," asked Brock who was growing a little frightened.

"The tattoo on Duro's head is just a symbol of his leadership. The leader of the Gores, Kinte, has a tattoo of a scar on his cheek. All the Dons have tattoos of two bands around their left wrist and in the middle of the bands is an eye. All the Gores have tattoos of two tear drops under their left eye. That's how you can tell them apart, other than their skin color," explained Manuel. It was then that Ash noticed for the first time that Manuel had the two bands and eye tattoo under his watch on his left hand. Ash took a step back.

"Are…are you a Don?" Ash stammered. Manuel did a half smile and shook his head.

"Not anymore. I used to be though, but I'm one of the lucky few who managed to get out of the gang and still live. They usually kill members who leave the gang cause they don't want them going around and snitching all the gang secrets like I am now; but occasionally they'll make an exception. I was a friend of Duro's while we were growing up. When we were younger his house burned down and I saved his sister, then they came to live with my family until they got back on their feet; so I guess you could say he owed me one. That's why he let me leave the gang. I haven't talked to him since I left though," said Manuel.

"Wow, well is there any way you could get this whole mess patched up? I really don't want to get shot. I still haven't found true love!" exclaimed Brock. Ash shook his head.

"It's your quest for love that got you into this mess in the first place!" Ash snapped.

"I really wish I could help you guys out, but I think it would be best if we just got on with our journey. I haven't talked to Duro in years and we didn't part on the best of terms so I doubt I'd be able to help you," explained Manuel. Ash nodded.

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's get going!" Ash exclaimed, eager to hit the road.

"Hold on bro, we have to visit Professor Cypress first," said Manuel.

"Where is his lab?" asked Ash.

"_Her_ lab is on the westside of the city, which is good because the Dons stay on the eastside while the Gores stay on the westside so we shouldn't run into any trouble on our way there. Just be sure to keep your eyes peeled just in case," Manuel said.

"Right," Ash nodded, "let's move out!"

* * *

When the three friends reached Professor Cypress' lab Ash was astonished. It was a very large building that appeared to have four stories. It was located in a very rural part of the city and there were only a couple of houses in the surrounding area. It had a very large fenced off area in the back which was most likely home to the hundreds of Pokemon studied at the lab. Manuel led the way through the automatic sliding glass doors and into the lab. They were in a very large waiting area which had a sleek and modern-looking reception desk towards the back. The room was decorated with various plants and also had a large fountain in the middle. There were also various sofas and chairs around the floor and there was even a small internet café and lounge area on the left side of the floor. The receptionist met them with a smile as they walked up.

"Welcome to the Cypress Research Center, how may I be of assistance," said the friendly woman. Ash noticed that the woman was a Nurse Joy, which he thought was a bit odd.

"Aren't you a Nurse Joy?" asked Ash.

"Yes, I am," she replied with a smile.

"Well…why are you a receptionist in a Pokemon lab?" he asked.

"This lab also serves as the Pokemon Center and hospital for the city. We treat injured Pokemon on the third floor and injured trainers on the second floor," Nurse Joy explained.

"Well this is perfect! My name is Brock and I am an IPHA certified Pokemon Doctor. I'm traveling Acirema to make sure that every Pokemon Center is following the IPHA standards," Brock explained as he shook the Nurse Joy's hand.

"I'll be happy to give you a tour of our facilities so that you can conduct your inspection," said Nurse Joy with a smile, "what are your friends here for?"

"We need to see Professor Cypress so that we can get registered with the Acirema Pokemon League and get our starter Pokemon," explained Manuel. The Nurse Joy frowned.

"I'm terribly sorry, but you just missed Professor Cypress. She is on her way to Pallet Town in Kanto for some conference," said Nurse Joy.

"Oh man! She's going to the Research and Development Conference that Professor Oak was talking about on the phone!" exclaimed Ash.

"Yes, that's the one. Again I'm sorry but you'll have to come back next week," said Nurse Joy.

"Actually, you three are in luck," said a voice. Ash, Manuel and Brock turned around and were met by a very tall woman wearing a lab coat. She had fair skin which went well with her light blue eyes. She had dark blonde hair which was put in a side bun. She was very petite and wore a tight yellow dress under the lab coat which stopped just below her knees. She had a warm smile and very visible dimples on her face.

"I am Professor Veronica Cypress," she said with a smile.

"Hello, I'm Manuel," said Manuel as he shook her hand.

"And I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town," said Ash.

"And I'm your dream come true!" exclaimed Brock as he took her hand. Ash and Manuel sweat dropped while Professor Cypress had a confused look on her face.

"Come on Brock, your antics have gotten us into enough trouble as it is!" said Ash. Brock frowned and let go of her hand.

"I was just about to leave when I overheard your conversation. I'd be happy to get you three registered and issue you your Pokedex, Pokeballs, and starter Pokemon," Professor Cypress said.

"That'd be awesome!" exclaimed Ash. Manuel nodded.

"Yeah, thanks for taking your time to help us," Manuel said.

"It's no problem!" said Professor Cypress with a smile. "Just follow me and we can get you started on your journey!"

* * *

**It appears that the fates have worked their magic once again as Ash and Brock meet up in Acirema! It also appears that Brock is his same old self, albiet a little more mature, and his "quest for love" has gotten him into a bit of a ****quandary. Hopefully Ash & Co. will be able to make it out of Acirema alive! And next chapter we will finally be introduced to the first three new Pokemon! I'm excited so you'd better be...just don't let the anticipation overwhelm you. Also, our resident Professor seems to be quite the looker (if you'd like a clearer image think Gwyneth Paltrow meets Amanda Seyfried...hmm, that'd be interesting...). Stay tuned for the next exciting installment of Adventures in Acirema and be sure to Favorite, Alert, Review, and all that jazz!**


	3. Chapter 3: The Legend of Lavader

**Really bigC94...REALLY...3 WEEKS! -_- I am sorry for my long absence, but I was having a bit of a Daft Punk moment; Write it, Cut it, Paste it, Save it, Load it, Check it, Rewrite it (if you don't get the reference, look up Technologic by Daft Punk. It's one of my favorite Daft Punk songs). I was having trouble figuring out where I wanted to go thus far with the story. I had an idea of what I wanted to happen, but couldn't figure out how to make it happen. But don't fear, for I have figured out what shall occur over the next several chapters. Now, enough of my problems...let's get back to the show!**

* * *

Ash and Manuel followed Professor Cypress up a long, winding staircase that led to the fourth floor. Brock had opted not to come with them.

"I don't plan on challenging the APC, so I don't have any reason to get registered. Also, I already brought a couple of Pokemon with me so I don't really need to get a starter Pokemon. I think I'll just get the tour over with so that by the time you guys are finished we can hit the road running," Brock had explained. However, Ash knew that he really wanted some alone time with Nurse Joy, so they let him be.

When they reached the fourth floor Professor Cypress whipped out an I.D. card which was attached to the end of a lanyard around her neck. She swiped the card across a scanner on the door which then blinked green and the door slid open. When they entered the research floor Ash was astonished. He had never seen so many things going on in one place. There were scientists and research aides running around all over the place and shouting out instructions.

_"This is definitely the largest Pokemon Lab I have ever seen!"_ exclaimed Pikachu with awe.

"You can say that again!" Ash replied. Professor Cypress noticed the looks on Ash and Manuel's faces and grinned.

"Surprised are you? The Cypress Research Center is the largest Pokemon research facility in the world. It is also home to some of the world's brightest minds," she said with a wink, "Now, let's get you registered." She led them to a large computer screen in the far corner of the room, isolated from the rest of the chaos. The screen took up the entire wall and towered over Ash and Manuel.

"That's a really big computer!" exclaimed Manuel. Professor Cypress smiled.

"Do you like it? We call him Ivan. Ivan runs all the tests in the lab and stores all the information on every Pokemon in every region we know," explained Professor Cypress as she pushed a button on a large keyboard. The screen lit up and displayed a map of the Acirema Region along with all kinds of data slowly panning across the screen.

"Good Afternoon, Veronica. How may I be of service?" asked a surprisingly human sounding voice with a British accent.

"Pull up standard registration sequence," said Professor Cypress.

"Right away," said Ivan. Ash noticed that the large map of Acirema was littered with hundreds upon thousands of tiny red dots.

"Professor Cypress, why are there so many red dots on the map?" asked Ash. He didn't think it was any of his business since research and science weren't his cup of tea, but his curiosity got the better of him. Luckily, Manuel spoke up as well.

"Yeah," Manuel piped in, "I noticed those too, ese. What are those? There's so many of them." Professor Cypress smiled.

"You see, once a Trainer registers with the Acirema Pokemon League we can track their whereabouts right here on this map. Observe." She then proceeded to tap one of the red dots located on an area of the map labeled Route 10 which was between Mal and a small town called Magnoville. The dot expanded, and then a large and very detailed trainer card appeared on the screen along with a head shot of the trainer. The trainer appeared to be of Asian descent and had messy, unkempt hair which stuck out of the sides of a research sombriolet. Ash figured he couldn't be any older than 15 or 16 judging his young facial features and lack of facial hair. The trainer had a smug look on his face and a bug catching net casually hung over his shoulder. Because it was just a headshot, Ash couldn't tell what he was wearing, but judging from the shoulders it appeared to be a white wife beater like Manuel's.

"Norris Soto. Age: 15. 5'0'', 90 lbs. Hometown: Goldpond Town. Tendencies: Bug Type. Current Number of Pokemon on hand: 4. Number of Gym Badges obtained: 2. Number of Ribbons obtained: 1. To access secure information such as Trainer ID number or current earnings, please enter pass code," Ivan recited. Ash and Manuel were taken aback by the amount of information they had on the kid. They shot each other a look of awe and then returned to Professor Cypress.

"Don't you think that this is…I don't know…kind of an invasion of privacy?" asked Manuel. Professor Cypress shook her head.

"Not in the least. You see, once you register for the Acirema Pokemon League you are not just any old Pokemon Trainer…you are, in a sense, an employee of the APL," Professor Cypress explained. Manuel now went from concerned to interested, while Ash was quite confused.

"Really? How so?" asked Manuel. Professor Cypress smiled and continued.

"Acirema is unlike any other region in the Pokemon Universe. As a result, there is much unknown about the land in which we call home. Unfortunately, there aren't enough Pokemon Researchers and Professors to go all around Acirema and collect data…so we send trainers instead. Of course, the main objective for most trainers is to gain all eight badges and win the APC or to win five contests and then the Acirema Grand Festival. However, because of this handy device, we as researchers can gain valuable information about Acirema and trainers can still go about their journey however they please." Professor Cypress then pulled out a handheld device that looked similar to a touchscreen smartphone. It was a rather large for a smartphone though; it was larger than a phone but smaller than a tablet, yet still managed to fit in her hand comfortably. This particular device was black and only had two buttons. One was a small power button on the back of the slim device towards the top. The other was a circular button shaped like a Pokeball on the bottom front of the device. Professor Cypress turned the device on and the screen lit up. On the screen, a large Pokeball appeared for about five seconds before the home screen of the device appeared.

"This is called a Poketab. It is a handheld smartphone/tablet developed by the company Pokelectronix. Pokelectronix makes just about every electronic device distributed in Acirema, including Ivan over here," said Professor Cypress as she tapped the large computer, "They also mass produce the Pokeballs and Items for this region. The Poketab has lots of features that are useful to trainers including a Region Map, a clock, a phone, etc. Anything else that you need can be purchased in the App Store for free. It's most useful feature, or at least I think so, is the Pokedex." She then pressed the Pokeball shaped button at the bottom of the device. The words Pokedex appeared on the screen and then shifted to the top of the screen.

"Point device at desired Pokemon," the Poketab instructed. Unlike Ivan, the Poketab had the typical robotic sounding female voice.

"The Pokedex on the Poketab tells you information on every Pokemon in its database, much like every other region's Pokedex. However, a key feature is it's DNA collection feature. If a trainer happens to stumble upon a Pokemon that no one has ever seen before and is not in the database, the hair, fur, or saliva of the Pokemon is scanned and then its data is sent right here to Ivan. Then, we analyze the DNA and instruct the trainer to attempt to catch the Pokemon. If the Pokemon is caught successfully, we instruct the trainer to send us the Pokemon for further analysis. If the Pokemon is not caught, we send a skilled Pokemon Researcher to get the unknown Pokemon for us," Professor Cypress continued.

"But what if you are on a mountain or in the middle of a forest and can't send the Pokemon right away?" asked Ash. Professor Cypress brought the Poketab back to its homepage and tapped an app entitled "Trade". The app loaded for a couple of seconds and then displayed a large circle which took up almost the entire screen.

"Place Pokeball on marked area. Then, name the Trainer to initiate the trade. If you are sending a Pokemon to the Cypress Research Center, repeat the phrase "Send to the Cypress Research Center" and then name a Pokemon from your PC storage," the Poketab instructed.

"With this app, you can trade Pokemon amongst your friends, or send a Pokemon here and replace it with a Pokemon in your PC. If you do not have a Pokemon in your PC, we simply send you a replacement Pokeball. Also, any trainer that catches an unidentified Pokemon will have $10,000 forwarded to their account as a thank you, of sorts, for contributing to our research," explained Professor Cypress.

"Wow, this thing is really high tech!" exclaimed Manuel. Professor Cypress nodded.

"That it is. Pokelectronix is one of the wealthiest companies in the world, much more so than the Silph Co. or Devon Corporation. In fact, they are so wealthy that they offer unlimited text and talk to any region free of charge!" exclaimed Professor Cypress.

"Wait…so you mean I can call my mom _anytime_?" asked Ash.

"Anytime!" Professor Cypress replied with a laugh. "Now, it's time to get you two registered so you can get one of these. Place your hand on the pad here," she pointed to a hand-shaped pad on the giant keyboard. Ash placed his hand on the pad and a green light flashed across his hand. "That should be good," Professor Cypress said as Ash took off his hand. After a few seconds, a headshot of Ash appeared on the screen as well as his personal information.

"Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, Kanto is now registered with the Acirema Pokemon League. Congratulations!" said Ivan with as much enthusiasm as a British computer voice could. Manuel then placed his hand on the pad. The pad flashed, and then his personal information appeared on the screen while Ash's disappeared.

"Emmanuel Ortiz from Mal, Acirema is now registered with the Acirema Pokemon League. Congratulations!" Ivan repeated. Ash couldn't help but chuckle at the computer's vain attempt at excitement. She handed Ash and Manuel their own black Poketabs.

"I also forgot to tell you that the Poketab also has a Contest Pass loaded on it so if you would like to take on contests instead of Gyms you can do that as well. Now, time for the fun part!" exclaimed Professor Cypress with a sing-songy tone. She led the two to a different corner of the room. This area was lined with shelves containing lots of Pokeballs.

"Why are there so many Pokeballs here?" asked Manuel.

"Remember how I told you that Acirema is unlike any other region?" Ash and Manuel nodded their heads. "Well this is where it gets interesting.

"One of the many mysteries of Acirema is the fact that Pokemon found in the Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, AND Sinnoh regions can be found in Acirema as well. In fact, there are very few Pokemon indigenous solely to Acirema. As of today, there are about 11 Pokemon found exclusively in Acirema and nowhere else. All the rest of the Pokemon found in Acirema can also be found in every other region. So, because of this anomaly, we offer the three starters from the Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh regions in addition to two starters exclusive to the Acirema region."

"Wow, that's awesome!" Manuel exclaimed. But Ash, once again, was confused.

"Wait...you said _two_ starters...so that means only two types?" asked Ash. Professor Cypress nodded.

"Once again, one of the anomalies of Acirema. Only two out of those 11 Pokemon that are found exclusively in Acirema are Water types. And neither of the two have three evolutions. So, we don't offer a water starter. If you would like a water starter, you will have to choose a Squirtle, Totidile, Mudkip or Piplup," explained Professor Cypress.

"Well I guess it's a good thing I already have my mind made up," said Manuel.

"Really?" Ash asked.

"Yep, it's always been a dream of mine to travel to the other regions like you did, but I never got the chance. I've always wanted a Charizard…and now I can get one!" Manuel said. Professor Cypress smiled.

"Well I guess we know what Pokemon you will be starting with!" she pulled a Pokeball off the bottom of the shelf and handed it to Manuel. "Call it out," she suggested.

"Allright! Go, Charmander!" Manuel shouted with joy as he threw the Pokeball into the air. The Pokeball opened and a bright red light flew out. The light took the form of Charmander as the Pokeball flew back into Manuel's hands.

"Char, Charmander!" exclaimed the small lizard Pokemon as it stuck an impressive pose.

"Awesome!" Manuel pulled out his Poketab and pushed the Pokeball button.

"Charmander, the Lizard Pokémon. A constant flame burns on the end of its tail. If this flame was to be extinguished, Charmander would no longer live," said the Poketab.

"Hey little bro, you're way too cute lookin' to grow into a fearsome Charizard. But I guess all Pokemon start like that huh?" said Manuel as he petted Charmander's head.

"Char, Char, Charmander!" replied Charmander as it leaned into his hand, clearly enjoying the petting.

"I guess you should meet your partner then. Go, Teddiursa!" Manuel pulled another Pokeball off his belt and tossed it in the air. The red light shone once again and Teddiursa appeared.

"Teddiursa!" exclaimed the small bear Pokemon. It turned to Ash and Pikachu and was surprised as it had never seen them before. It then turned to Charmander and was even more surprised. "Teddiurrrrssssaaaaa!" the bear Pokemon wailed as it ran and hid behind Manuel's leg.

"Aww, no need to be afraid Teddiursa, these are my new friends," Manuel tried to comfort his Pokemon but Teddiursa would have none of it. Pikachu hopped off of Ash's shoulder and approached Charmander.

"Pika, Pika, Pikaaaa, Pikachuuu," Pikachu said to Charmander.

"Char, Charmander, Char," Charmander nodded. Pikachu and Charmander approached Teddiursa slowly.

"Teddiurrrrsssssaaaa!" Teddiursa cried out in fear. It then ran out from behind Manuel's leg and its claws began to glow. However, Pikachu and Charmander did not notice and were ambushed by a Fury Swipes attack. Pikachu and Charmander were not hurt, but fell over and sweatdropped.

"_This is what I get for trying to make friends…"_ Pikachu said sarcastically. Ash laughed while Manuel scolded Teddiursa.

"Come on Teddiursa, that's no way to treat new friends!" Manuel said firmly. Teddiursa dropped its head in shame and walked up to Pikachu and Charmander.

"Teddi, Teddiursa, Teddi," said Teddiursa to the two Pokemon. Pikachu nodded.

"Pika, Pika, Piiiika, Pikachu, Pika Pi," said Pikachu with a smile as she shook Pikachu's hand. However, Charmander would have none of it and turned his head with a "hmph!".

"Hey Pikachu, what'd Teddiursa say?" asked Ash.

"_He said that he was sorry if he hurt us, it's just that Manuel is all he knows and strangers are scary. I told him that I'd probably do the same thing in his position, but Charmander doesn't seem to want to accept the apology…jackass,_" Pikachu shot a look at Charmander on that last word but Charmander kept its arms crossed and head turned away from Teddiursa.

"Wow, Charmander doesn't seem to like your Teddiursa. That could become a problem later, Pokemon are supposed to work as a team and feuding Pokemon is never a good thing," Ash said to Manuel.

"I know man. I don't blame him too much cause Teddiursa did attack him. But Charmander didn't even acknowledge the apology. This is gonna be tough," Manuel sighed.

"You never told me you had other Pokemon, do you have any more?" asked Ash who was intrigued. However, Manuel shook his head.

"Nope, Teddiursa's the only one I've got, ese. I was 9 years old when I met Teddiursa. I used to always sneak out into the woods when I was bored, looking for an adventure. I would pretend that I was a hot shot trainer traveling the Kanto region with a team full of badass Pokemon like Charizard. On one of these little 'expeditions' I stumbled upon Teddiursa all alone trying to jump high enough to reach a beehive full of honey. It was the funniest, yet saddest thing to watch. I went back home and brought some fresh honey and berries back with me which made Teddiursa really happy. Over the next couple of months I made friends with Teddiursa and we went on my imaginary adventures together. I finally decided that I wanted to keep Teddiursa with me so, on my tenth birthday, I used some of my birthday money to buy a Pokeball and Teddiursa willingly let me catch him. However, the very next week my dad was accidentally shot and killed so I had to stay home and work in the bike shop to take care of mi hermano, Emilio, and mi madre. Since I was working the bike shop, I didn't get to go on my journey to Kanto like I had planned. That's when I got really frustrated and joined the Dons," Manuel lowered his head. Ash and Pikachu were disheartened; they truly felt sorry for Manuel. He was so excited as a kid to get to go on his journey to Kanto, but fate has a cruel sense of humor. Manuel lifted his head and smiled.

"But now I'll finally get my chance!" he beamed. Ash and Pikachu smiled.

"That's the spirit! We're gonna tear up the Acirema Pokemon Championship!" Ash shouted.

"_I can't wait to kick some ass!_" Pikachu exclaimed.

"Yeah, I can't wait!" Manuel replied. He turned to his two Pokemon. "All right guys, I think that's enough meet-and-greet for now. I'll call you guys back out later when we start training." He returned Teddiursa and Charmander to their Pokeballs and turned to Ash. "Which Pokemon are you gonna get?" Ash pondered for a while.

"Hmm, well, I've all ready owned so many of the other region's starters. I've had all three Kanto starters, all three Johto starters, a Treecko, a Turtwig, a Chimchar, and all three Unova starters. So, I think I'll choose one of the two Acirema starters," Ash concluded. Professor Cypress nodded and took two Pokeballs off the top shelf.

"Lavader, Cratus, come on out!" shouted Professor Cypress. She threw the Pokeballs in the air and out of one shined a red light while out of the other a smoky black light appeared. When the light dissipated, two very different Pokemon showed up. The Pokemon that came out of the black light was an eel or snake like, its body reminded Ash of a smaller Ekans. However, it had a sharp dorsal fin on its back which was weird. It also had a large, suction like mouth similar to a lamprey or the Pokemon Eelektross. Its mouth was lined with rows and rows of razor sharp teeth that could rotate. It had four large slits going down it's eel-like body which opened and closed as it breathed. It had two snake-like eyes on opposite sides of its head like an Eelektross, and it didn't seem to ever blink. Its skin was black and very shiny and had four indents in spots where forearms and hindlegs might be. It was very menacing due to its lamprey-like mouth lined with razor sharp teeth and it also smelled like sulfur. The other Pokemon was a lot less intimidating. It was a small, green, rat-like Pokemon with a brown underbelly. It had two sharp overgrown incisors sticking out the front of its mouth and two smaller molars inside its mouth under the incisors. Its eyes were brown which matched the brown underbelly and its paws were brown as well. It had fairly sharp claws for a small rat Pokemon. Its most notable feature, however, was a barrel cactus which it carried on its back, much like the way Bulbasaur carry a plant on their back. Except this plant was round and prickly and, since the Pokemon was green, Ash assumed the thorns lining the barrel cactus were poisonous. There was a large purple flower in the middle of the barrel cactus on its back which was nice to look at, but Ash didn't discount the possibility that the flower could be poisonous as well. Both Pokemon had a fierce look in their eyes, but Ash noticed that the black eel-like Pokemon had a particularly disturbing look.

"Now, I must warn you before you decide which Pokemon you pick. Cratus evolves into Varkti and then Saguaradillo which is a large and powerful Armadillo-like Pokemon with the shell of a cactus. Lavader evolves into Monitora and then Komodon which is a pseudo-legendary Fire/Dragon type and is rumored to be extremely powerful. Many trainers jump at the chance to get a psudo-legendary, so they chose Lavader. However, Lavader is the harder of the two to train and raise. In fact, there are only seven known trainers with Monitora in Acirema and there are currently no trainers with a Komodon. The last trainer with a Komodon died in 1977 and the Komodon died along with him," Professor Cypress warned.

"Wow, only seven trainers could get it to evolve into its second stage and no one has evolved Lavader to its final stage in 36 years! Why?" asked Ash. He glanced at the Lavader; it looked menacing, but it couldn't be that hard to train…could it? Professor Cypress saw the look on his face and knew what he was thinking.

"Oh yes, it is extremely difficult to train. It is also one of those many mysteries of Acirema. According to legend, when Arceus created man there were no Lavader or Monitora, only Komodon. Komodon ran rampant across the earth and were extremely mischievous. They fought against the first humans and caused them all kinds of trouble. This angered Arceus to no end, so Arceus exiled all Komodon to the depths of the Earth's core. Arceus also stripped Komodon of their ability to fly and walk, thus reducing them to their current state of Lavader. It is rumored that Lavader are plentiful in the core of the Earth and swim through lava and earth. Their skin is made of Obsidian so they are able to do this without melting. Arceus also prevented them from reaching the surface and whenever one does it shrivels and dies. The only way a Lavader could roam the surface without dying was if it committed to a life of servitude to humans; which is to say, to be caught and raised and fought in battles. The closest Lavader ever get to the surface is in volcanoes or beds of molten lava on the surface. If one was to swim out of the molten lava without being caught, it would shrivel up and die. Early humans used to take the dorsal fins off of the dead bodies of Lavader and use them for arrows or medical tools since their body and fin is made of Obsidian which is very sharp. Lavader supposedly can only evolve into Monitora with Arceus' permission. This could be possible as there are some trainers that have had level 60-80 Lavader that never evolved. Like I said, there are currently only seven trainers with Monitora and each Lavader evolved at a different level ranging from 25-50. According to the legend, it depends on how much faith Arceus has in the trainer to be able to control Monitora and how much trust Lavader has developed with its trainer. The Komodon that died 36 years ago was reported to have evolved at level 55 and belong to a man named Shamus White. Shamus was a very powerful and respected trainer in Acirema. He handily defeated every Gym Leader, won the APC and beat the Elite Four to become the Champion. He became the Champion in 1943 and went undefeated in Pokemon battles from 1943 until his death in 1977. His Komodon was said to be the most powerful pseudo-legendary anyone had ever seen and easily destroyed its opponents. In Acirema's recorded history, there have only been 3 trainers to have raised a Komodon and neither of the three lived alongside the other.

"When I describe the power of Komodon to beginning trainers, they jump at the chance and pick Lavader. However, most trainers, realizing how hard it is to raise a Lavader, release the Lavader. Because Lavader is so hard to raise, we have a policy here at the Cypress Research Center which allows a trainer who chose Lavader as their starter to be able to pick a new starter if they decide to release Lavader. That's how frustrating it is to raise one of these Pokemon. As of late, a lot of trainers have just chosen Cratus as its final evolution is extremely powerful in its own right, although not as powerful as Komodon, and is much easier to raise. Cratus also have known levels of evolution, unlike Lavader. Cratus evolve into Varkti at level 20 and Saguaradillo at level 38. So, knowing all this, which one will you chose?"

Manuel looked at Ash earnestly; it was a very tough choice. Manuel was glad that he had a childhood fantasy of Charizard because he wouldn't be able to decide. The thought of a powerful pseudo-legendary was tantalizing to any trainer. A Pokemon that could sweep through another trainer's Pokemon without even so much as a scratch. However, there was no guarantee that you could even get it to evolve into its second form, much less its final form! On the other hand, you could take the easy route and raise a Cratus, whose evolved form was still powerful, but not nearly as powerful or as exciting as a pseudo-legendary. Ash looked back and forth between the two Pokemon before him. He stood in silence for what seemed like eternity before he finally made a choice.

"I want Lavader."

"Really?" asked Professor Cypress. She had heard those three words so often, only to have the same optimistic trainer call her a month later requesting a new starter. But there was something different about this Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. Other trainers who chose Lavader had a look of lust in their eyes. Lust for power, for instant victory, for the fame that owning a Komodon would bring them. However, Ash had a different look in his eyes…a look of determination to control the beast and a look of confidence in his ability to do so. It was a look that she had seen many times in pictures of Shamus and his Komodon. Maybe, just maybe, Ash Ketchum could tame this unruly beast.

"Definitely," Ash nodded, "I've done so many crazy things over the years, why not add attempting to raise one of the rarest Pokemon in existence to the list? Eh, Pikachu?" Pikachu, who had been staring at the ugly Pokemon the entire time, hopped up onto Ash's shoulder.

"_I don't see why not. Just as long as that ugly thing stays away from me! It really is quite repulsive, look at that mouth full of sharp teeth. And then it smells like sulfur…ugh,_" Pikachu shuddered which prompted a chuckle from Ash. Then, Ash balled his fist in front of his face.

"All right…let's do this!" He took the Pokeball from Professor Cypress and returned the Lavader.

"Good luck, ese, you're gonna need it," Manuel patted Ash on the shoulder.

"Who's gonna need luck?" The two turned to see Brock walk up.

"You and Nurse Joy finished so soon?" Manuel smirked. Brock, however, was not fond of this joke.

"We were conducting official business, not messing around!" he exclaimed.

"Is that what they call it these days, 'conducting official business'? In my day we called it banging, screwing, bumping uglies…" Manuel was cut off by Brock.

"ALLRIGHT!" he shouted. Professor Cypress blushed slightly. "I'm well aware of the terminologies for intercourse!" Professor Cypress coughed.

"Well, since you're here, would you like to choose a starter Pokemon?" she asked, quickly changing the subject.

"Not really, I don't have any reason to register with the APL and I don't have a desire to battle that much anymore either. I have two Pokemon with me if I have to, but I'm fine with just officiating Ash and Manuel's battles," Brock answered.

"Who'd you bring?" asked Ash. Brock pulled two Pokeballs from his belt and threw them in the air. When the light cleared, Croagunk and Chansey stood before them.

" Croagunk."

"Chansey!"

"Awesome, I've never seen a Croagunk before!" Manuel pulled out his Poketab.

"Croagunk, the Toxic Mouth Pokemon. It's inflatable cheeks are filled with poisonous sacs. It jabs opponents with its toxic fingers," said the Pokedex.

"That's why I came up here! I need one of those Poketabs," Brock told Professor Cypress. She nodded.

"Right away!" She pulled a Poketab off of a shelf and handed it to Brock. "Since you didn't register, Its not going to know who you are. But don't worry! All you have to do is scan your eye or palm and you'll be good to go!"

"Thanks, that's good to hear," Brock turned to his Pokemon, "all right guys, time to return." Brock pulled out his Pokeballs and returned his Pokemon.

"You three also get five Pokeballs and $5,000 has been automatically sent to your account. Whenever you buy something, just use your trainer card as a debit card. You can check your balance on the Poketab," Professor Cypress handed the three trainers five Pokeballs each.

"Thanks!" said Manuel.

"Yeah, Thank you," Ash repeated.

"So, where are you three headed?" asked Professor Cypress.

"We're headed to the closest gym!" exclaimed Ash quickly, once again envisioning all the battles that would soon take place.

"Which is in Goldpond Town," Manuel finished.

"Well that's wonderful! Could you give this package to Professor Singleton in Magnoville?" Professor Cypress pulled a small package off the shelf.

"Aww man! I didn't want to have to go all over the place!" Ash frowned.

"Don't worry, you pass through Magnoville on your way to Goldpond so you won't miss anything," Professor Cypress smiled.

"Will do!" Manuel took the package and handed it to Ash, who placed it in his backpack.

"All right…I wish you three well. Good luck on your journey and may Arceus be your guide. I have to leave soon for the ferry to Pallet Town," said Professor Cypress.

"Oh man, we forgot all about that! I hope we didn't take up too much of your time," Manuel said.

"Don't worry, I still have a decent amount of time; I'll be fine. Now, you three should get on with your journey!" said Professor Cypress.

"Yeah!" the three shouted. Professor Cypress turned to Ash.

"Oh, and Ash…I believe in you…"

* * *

**BAM! There you go, Chapter 3! Its been a long time coming, but its finally done. Also, to make up for the wait, its longer than the previous two. In fact, its almost longer than the previous two combined! Sorry if you don't like reading long chapters...but I had a lot of information about Acirema I had to squeeze in this chapter. Now, regarding the two starters Lavader & Cratus...I'm terribly sorry if their descriptions weren't detailed enough for you to envision them in your head. I'm working on finding a deviant-artist to make some drawings of Lavader and Cratus as well as their evolutions. Whenever (if ever) I get the drawings, I will post a link to them in a chapter as well as on my Profile. If you happen to be an artist or know an artist, leave me a PM with your email address so that we can work this thing out. It would be awesome to have some drawings to go with the story...and a sick looking Komodon would be pretty awesome too. Our heroes have chosen their starter Pokemon are ready to begin their journey. Manuel chose the faithful, but stubborn Charmander; while Ash chose the mysterious and unknown Lavader. With their partners by their side, they are finally ready to make their way to Goldpond Town. But what kinds of obstacles will they meet on their way there? Only one way to find out...stay tuned for the next exciting installment of Adventures in Acirema!**


	4. Chapter 4: The Bug Brothers

**Um...who are you? Hah! Just kidding! Wow, it's been awhile hasn't it. The last chapter I said the updates would be more regular...guess I lied (feel free to slap me). You see, there were two problems with this. Number one was that I was doing a lot of research to make sure this battle scene would at least be decent. Its my first battle scene ever...so its nowhere near perfect, but they'll get better as we go along. Number two, I got a job! So I haven't had a lot of free time to work on the story. I'll try not to let as much time pass between chapters as it did recently...but I can't make any ****guarantees. Well, I've held you up enough...time for the next exciting installment of Adventures in Acirema!**

* * *

"So Brock, how's the family back home?" asked Ash.

"They're all doing great!" Brock munched on a jelly filled donut. A bit of jelly dripped onto his chin which he wiped with the sleeve of his lab coat before continuing. "Yum…The last I heard, Forrest had gotten a lot better as a Gym Leader. He even went 10 straight battles without losing at one point! Also, Salvadore and Yolanda are both on their journeys through Kanto right now. Mmm…" He took another bite of the donut. Ash and Manuel laughed.

"You really like that donut, eh vato?" Ash nodded as he took a bite of his own donut.

"Yep, Brock loves jelly donuts!"

"You know me too well," replied a satisfied Brock.

"Well I'm glad we got these donuts 'cause I was getting hungry, ese. I haven't eaten since breakfast and I thought I was gonna pass out!" exclaimed Manuel.

"I know, we've been running around all day. It's nice to just take a relaxing walk through the forest," said Brock.

"I just hope we get to Magnoville soon so we can drop off that package and then head on to Goldpond Town. I'm just so psyched!" Once again, Ash got excited; his head filled with all sorts of battle strategies and scenarios. Pikachu shook her head.

"_Ash, you haven't even done your research on this Gym Leader yet! Do you know his type? His battle style? You don't even know if it's a he! You shouldn't just brashly run into battle without knowing a tiny bit about your opponent first…I don't feel like being embarrassed in my first Acirema Gym battle,"_ said Pikachu firmly. Ash blinked.

"You're right! I don't even know the Gym Leader's name…awwahhhh!" Ash collapsed into a heap. Brock and Manuel sweat dropped.

"What's gotten into you, ese?"

"Pikachu just reminded me that I know NOTHING about this Gym Leader. What if I walk into the gym and it's a Ground type. Pikachu and Lavader will get obliterated and I'll be embarrassed in my first battle!"

"You're right Ash. A good trainer always does his research when going into an important battle. I'll bet the Poketab has some inside info on this Goldpond Gym Leader," suggested Brock.

"Good idea!" Ash pulled out his Poketab and found an app titled "Acirema Gyms". He opened the app and selected the Goldpond Town Gym.

"Goldpond Town; A little slice of Southern heaven. Gym Leader: Arthur Poda. Specializes in Bug Type Pokemon…"

"Bug type, huh? With Lavader and Pikachu this should be a piece of cake!" The robotic female voice continued to read off information.

"Arthur Poda hands out the Buzz Badge to those who defeat him. Arthur competes in 2-on-2, no substitution single battles. He is a seasoned battler, do not underestimate him due to his use of the Bug type. He loves to disguise himself and hide in the Magnoville Woods, observing his potential opponent's battles and analyzing their strategies."

"Hmm, this guy sounds a bit eccentric…" said Brock.

"Eccentric? No, no, no, I believe the word you were looking for was…intriguing," said a voice. The three looked around but saw no one.

"Ah yes, enchanting," said a similar sounding voice.

"Alluring!"

"Enthralling!"

"Compelling!"

"Captivating!"

"Impressive!" said both voices. Suddenly, two teens jumped out of a nearby tree and landed in front of the trio. They appeared to be twins, or at the very least closely related as they both looked remarkably the same. They both wore plain black t-shirts with green camouflage cargo shorts. The two had a single silver chain which hung around their neck and stopped at their pecs. They wore white ankle socks and white and green sneakers. They both had a light tan complexion, brown eyes, coarse and messy black hair, and appeared to be of Japanese descent. The only way they could be distinguished was by their hats. One boy wore a white baseball cap with the image of a Great Ball in the middle, while the other wore the same white cap with the image of an ultra ball in the middle. The duo struck an impressive pose, quite pleased with their performance.

"Who…are…you?" Manuel asked slowly. The two boys smirked to themselves for a few seconds, then took on a look of seriousness and authority.

"Do not worry, for before this is completed,"

"Our words will not need to be repeated,"

"Two twins are we,"

"And you'd fill us with glee,"

"If we battled and you were defeated!" The twins struck another dramatic pose while pulling bug catching nets out of seemingly nowhere for effect.

"You took many liberties with the structure of that limerick…" said Brock.

"Oh no, not more rhyming bad guys!" exclaimed Ash. The twins sweat dropped.

"WE ARE NOT BAD GUYS!" the twins shouted.

"Although we aren't good guys either…" the Great Ball twin put in.

"Quite right, we are terribly fascinating trainers…so don't go thinking we're soft!" remarked the Ultra Ball twin.

"Indeed, for we are feared throughout the Magnoville Forest. Beginner trainers shudder at the names of Jerry and Terry, the Bug Brothers!" The two proceeded with a faux maniacal laugh.

"So…which one of you is Jerry and which one of you is Terry?" asked Ash as he looked back and forth between the two and could tell no difference.

"I am Jerry," said the Great Ball twin.

"And I am Terry, the older AND wiser of the duo," remarked the Ultra Ball twin. Jerry frowned.

"You're only older by eleven minutes!" said Jerry.

"But wiser by eleven years…"

"That doesn't even make any sense!" shouted Jerry.

"Now now, my younger and more naïve brother, we shouldn't be bickering. For we challenged these two trainers to a battle and we must be in sync." Jerry nodded.

"So, which two of you three shall battle us?" asked Jerry. Ash, Manuel, and Brock looked at each other.

"You two can battle them," said Brock, "You guys need the practice for the Gym." Jerry and Terry perked up.

"Did you say gym?" they asked in unison. Ash nodded slowly.

"Yeah, we're taking on the Goldpond Gym after we make a quick stop in Magnoville," said Ash.

"Do you know the Goldpond Gym Leader?" the Bug Brothers asked in unison once again. Manuel shook his head.

"Not really, we looked up some basic info on him but we've never met him before."

"Well, we assumed your squint-eyed friend was referring to us when he said eccentric," said Jerry.

"Yes, I suppose we can be seen as a bit eccentric at times…" replied Terry.

"SQUINT-EYED!" exclaimed Brock as he collapsed into a heap.

"But that's beside the point," Jerry said quickly, "for you see, we are the sons of Arthur Poda!"

"His very flesh and blood!" exclaimed Terry.

"And thus, our battle tactics and natural know-how is much superior to yours," remarked Jerry.

"I'll have you know that this 'squint-eyed friend' is a former Gym Leader!" Brock exclaimed while crossing his arms.

"Really!" the twins looked at each other. "A fellow Gym Leader? Do tell, what type did you specialize in?"

"Rock."

"Oh no, we don't like _your_ type…" said Terry.

"No, no, no," Jerry shook his head in distaste, "not at all. Rock types simply destroy Bug types."

"I'm aware," said Brock flatly.

"I'm terribly sorry, but I do believe we have ticked off your friend here," Terry said to Ash and Manuel.

"Its fine, Brock will get over it. Once we get to a Pokemon Center he'll be his good old self!" exclaimed Ash. The twins looked on in confusion.

"Because he is a doctor and he enjoys his profession?" asked Jerry.

"No, he just has a Nurse Joy fetish," said Ash.

"IT'S NOT A FETISH!" Brock shouted. The Bug Brothers sweat dropped.

"Right…well…anyway, we've wasted enough time!" exclaimed Terry.

"I agree, we must proceed with the battle!" Jerry piped in.

"I'll be the referee," said Brock, "we passed a clearing a few yards back that would be perfect as a battle field."

"It is settled then…" said Terry.

"…Onward, to victory!" finished Jerry.

* * *

The group reached a large clearing in the middle of hundreds of trees. It was obvious that the area had been, and continued to be, used for battles as the wear and tear of constant attacks showed on the field. Patches of grass were missing, numerous holes were dug, and scorched grass could be found here and there. It wasn't the prettiest field, but it would do.

"Oh boy, my first Acirema battle!" Ash could barely contain his excitement.

"What are your parameters?" asked Terry. Ash looked confused.

"Huh?" The Bug Brothers shook their heads.

"Your limits…the rules?" said Jerry.

"Oh!" Ash's face lit up while Pikachu face palmed. "Well, we both only have two Pokemon, so it's gonna have to be a 2-on-2 double battle for starters."

"Fair enough," replied Terry with a shrug.

"Also, no substitutions," added Manuel.

"Agreed," the twins said in unison.

"Now, shall we get this thing started?" Jerry asked Terry. Terry nodded.

"Definitely!"

"Darting across the field with the greatest of ease,"

"Wit, determination, those are the keys,"

"None match our skill in all the nations,"

"POKEMON…BATTLE STATIONS!" The Bug Brothers swiftly threw their Pokeballs into the air. The balls popped open and out came a Ledian and a Beedrill.

"Beeeeee!"

"Ledi, Ledian!"

"Whoa, I've never seen those before." Manuel pulled out his Poketab and pointed it to the two Bug types.

"Beedrill, the Poison Bee Pokemon. When angered, Beedrill attack in large swarms. They can fly at high speeds and use their poisonous stingers as weapons."

"Ledian, the Five Star Pokemon. The star patterns on its back grow depending on the number of stars in the night sky, which it uses for energy."

"All right then, let's see what you're made of...Lavader, I choose you!" Ash threw Lavader's Pokeball onto the field. The area was enveloped in a black glow. When the black shroud cleared, Lavader appeared on the field.

"Hissssss."

"Hmm, a Lavader. You don't see many of those around these days," said Jerry.

"Yes, many trainers have given up on that Pokemon. It is brutally hard to raise and not worth the effort," added Terry.

"All right Charmander, time to shine!" Manuel threw his Pokeball and out came Charmander who struck a fearsome pose.

"Charrrrmanderrrr!"

"Ah, I like this little guy! What an exciting entrance!" Terry clapped his hands together in delight.

"I agree, this one's got gusto!" Jerry raised a finger and winked.

"_These guys are freaking weird…"_ said Pikachu.

"Oh boy!" exclaimed Ash.

"What?" asked Manuel.

"I just realized I don't know any of Lavader's attacks!"

"Look them up on the Poketab, man! And hurry up too!" Manuel said frantically. Ash pulled out the Poketab and pointed it towards Lavader.

"Lavader the Sinister Snake Pokemon. It is said that Lavader once freely roamed the Earth as its evolved form, Komodon. However, due to its evil ways, it was banished by Arceus to the underworld. Lavader's current known attacks are Bite, Quick Attack, Defense Curl, Glare, and Ember."

"Awesome," said Ash as he put back the Poketab.

"This is a 2-on-2 double battle with no substitutions. The battle will be over when all four Pokemon from either side are unable to battle. Let the battle begin!"

"You two may go first," said the Bug Brothers in unison. Ash nodded.

"All right then. Lavader, use Bite!"

"Charmander, Scratch!" commanded Manuel.

Lavader flew across the field like a blur and clenched its razor sharp teeth onto Ledian before the Bug Brothers could even so much as blink. Even Ash was taken aback by the speed with which Lavader moved. Charmander, on the other hand, was nowhere near as fast which allowed them some time.

"Beedrill, dodge!" Beedrill quickly rose higher into the air as Charmander came in and swiped at thin air.

"Char? Charmander!" Charmander looked up and saw Beedrill hovering over its head.

"Now Furry Attack!"

Bedrill's barbs glowed white as it hacked back and forth at Charmander. Charmander jumped around trying to dodge the sharp barbs but it was no use as the barrage continued. Meanwhile, Lavader was still hooked onto Ledian, who was darting around in a mad fury.

"Ledian, get it together and try to shake that putrid thing off you!" said Jerry. No matter how fast it buzzed about, Lavader wouldn't budge. Lavader stayed hooked, its red, snake-like eyes taunting the Ledian.

"Lavader, use Glare!"

"Hissssssss," Lavader's eyes glowed a dark red, then turned completely black. Its stare seemed to pierce Ledian's heart.

"Lediiiiiannn!" Ledian crashed to the ground, now paralyzed with fear. Lavader unhooked itself and swiftly slithered away.

"Oh dear, what has your monster done to my poor Ledian!?" exclaimed Jerry.

"Beedrill, lets help Ledian out. Use Pin Missle on that Lavader!" shouted Terry.

"Beeeeeeedriiiiiiill!" Beedrill cocked its arm back and released a myriad of sharp, white needles in Lavader's direction.

"Lavader…" Ash started, but before he could even give it a command, it had disappeared.

"Where'd it go?" asked Terry.

"Hisssss," as if in reply, Lavader suddenly reappeared in front of Beedrill. It launched itself into the air and hit Beedrill right in the abdomen. The suddenness of the attack combined with its shear speed caused Beedrill to go flying back several feet and land in front of the Bug Brothers in a heap.

"Beedrill is unable to battle! Terry has one remaining Pokemon!" Brock shouted.

"I…there are no words with which to describe what I just witnessed…" Terry stammered. He returned his Beedrill and stared solemnly at its Pokeball for a while before returning it to his belt. "All right then, it looks like we are going to need a bit more fire power for this one…Scyther, Battle Stations!" Terry threw the next Pokeball into the air, which popped open and revealed a menacing Scyther.

"Scy, Scytherrrr!" Scyther slid each of its razor sharp claws against each other as if to sharpen them.

"How about we get rid of that Charmander first? Scyther X-Scissor…Go!" said Terry.

"Ledian, attack with Swift!" commanded Jerry.

Scyther crossed its glowing claws in the form of an X and then speedily charged towards Charmander. Ledian rose in the air and lowered its head. It then fired several glowing stars in Charmander's direction.

"Charmander, dodge them!"

"Chaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrr!" Charmander yelped in panic. It hopped out of the way just in time to miss Scyther's deadly X-Scissor. However, Swift could not be avoided and Charmander was hit by the multiple stars. Charmander fell to one knee and winced in pain, a bead of sweat rolled slowly down its brow.

"You ok Charmander?" asked Manuel. Slowly, Charmander rose to both feet.

"Char, Charmander!" it exclaimed, nodding to shows its trainer that it was not yet ready to give up.

"Great! Now hit those stubborn bugs with Ember!" Charmander lowered its head and then shot beads of fire towards Scyther and Ledian.

"Scyther, dodge it with Agility!" Scyther quickly moved out of the attack's path, but Ledian was not so lucky. Ledian fell to the ground after being hit at every angle by the small balls of fire.

"Ledian!" Jerry yelped.

"Ledian is unable to battle! Jerry now has one remaining Pokemon!" Brock ruled.

"Hmph! I'm not in the mood for losing…Heracross, Battle Stations!" Jerry struck a pose before throwing out his Pokeball.

"Heracross!" Suddenly, Heracross was knocked halfway across the battlefield. In its place was Lavader, looking on menacingly.

"Wow, that Lavader attacked without even being prompted to!" exclaimed Jerry.

"Lavader, come on! You're supposed to attack on MY command, I'm your trainer! This isn't a wild fight, it's a Pokemon Battle!" Ash shouted. Lavader just stared at Ash with the same expression it always had, its red eyes seemingly mocking Ash.

"Hey Manuel."

"What?"

"I've got an idea, but you've gotta trust me," said Ash.

"Sure thing, you've been a trainer a lot longer than I have. Fire away, ese" replied Manuel. Ash whispered his plan into Manuel's ear, much to the agitation of the Bug Brothers.

"I say, what are you two conversing about over there?" asked Jerry.

"Our imminent demise, no doubt," replied Terry. Jerry shook his head.

"I won't allow it! Heracross, get up and use Horn Attack!" Heracross rose and started to charge towards Charmander and Lavader.

"Get at them too Scyther, with Slash!" Scyther's scythes glowed white as it flew towards the two defenders.

"We've gotta time this thing right…" said Ash. The attackers flew closer and closer and just as they were about to make a direct hit Ash yelled. "NOW!"

"Charmander, hop onto Lavader's back!" Manuel commanded. Charmander was confused, but it was being attacked so it did as Manuel told.

"Now, Lavader, Quick Attack to get out of the way!" In a flash, Lavader slid away with Charmander atop its back. Heracross was surprised when its Horn Attack met thin air and Scyther slashed at nothing. Lavader and Charmander reappeared behind the two opponents.

"NOW USE EMBER!" Ash and Manuel shouted in unison.

Charmander and Lavader simultaneously unleashed the small balls of fire which bombarded Heracross and Scyther, who had not even got a chance to turn around yet. The fire scorched their backs and knocked them both to the ground.

"Heracross and Scyther are both unable to battle! The Bug Brothers are out of usable Pokemon. Ash and Manuel win!" exclaimed Brock.

"We were defeated…"

"…soundly whipped."

"Aw, cheer up guys," said Manuel, "It's ok, everyone loses from time to time. I enjoyed the battle and learned a lot from it. I'd say it was as great a first battle as a beginner trainer could ask for."

"First battle!" the Bug Brothers exclaimed in unison. Terry's eye twitched.

"If our father gets word of us losing to a newbie he will be most disturbed," Terry said.

"Disturbed indeed! Quick, we must be off to Goldpond Town. We can reach him before the rumors do and explain to him what happened. Ta-ta young trainers, best of luck to you both," said Jerry with a bow.

"And may Arceus guide your steps," added Terry. With that, the Bug Brothers ran off deep into the forest. Manuel blinked.

"Um...bye?"

"_What just happened?_" asked Pikachu.

"I'm gonna miss those guys, they put up a great fight and they were really…unique," said Ash.

"That was one hell of a battle, I'll say," Brock said.

"It was awesome man!" exclaimed Manuel. "Hey Ash, how'd you think of letting Charmander ride Lavader to get behind those two, that was genius."

"I don't know," Ash shrugged, "In the heat of battle, I just come up with stuff like that sometimes."

"It was a most interesting strategy indeed…" the three turned around and were met by a beautiful young girl who appeared to be 18. She was dark skinned, darker than Brock but not as dark as Lenora; more of Iris' skin tone. She also had long blue hair which went all the way down to the small of her back and was round towards the top and spiky at the bottom. She wore a white spaghetti strap tank top, daisy duke jean shorts, and blue flats. She was very curvaceous and fit well into her clothes. She had brown eyes and wore Master Ball shaped earrings. She also wore a silver chain necklace with a single iron coin hanging from it. Ash thought an iron coin was a weird thing for someone to wear around their neck, much less a girl.

"Brock…" Ash said sternly, knowing what his friend was thinking. Brock just grinned.

"I'm sorry Ash. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak," replied Brock. He sprung into the air and landed in front of the girl. "Excuse me miss, but what is a beautiful princess like you doing in a dangerous forest like this? You should be protected by a man…a man like me!" She smacked Brock straight across the face which got a wince out of Ash, Manuel and Pikachu. Brock fell to the ground.

"You're right about me being a princess…but wrong about me needing a man. I don't need ANY man, I am a grown woman and I do what I want!" said the girl.

"Point taken," Brock replied weakly.

"Who are you?" asked Ash.

"Me? I am April. Daughter of Sandy, the leader of the Sequoia City Gym and the greatest Ground Pokemon Trainer on the planet," April struck a pose with her right hand on her hip and her left hand doing the "peace" sign.

"I've heard of Sandy," said Manuel, "she's a really powerful Ground Trainer."

"That's right! And I have been training to become even better than her and eventually take my place as leader of the Gym."

"Cool, I've been training to become the world's greatest Pokemon Master!" exclaimed Ash. April smirked.

"Really, and how's that been going for you?"

"Well…so far I've placed in the Top 16 in the Indigo Plateau Conference, Top 8 in the Silver Conference, Top 8 in the Ever Grande Conference, Top 4 in the Lily of the Valley Conference, Top 8 in the Vertress Conference, I won the Orange League and I won the Battle Frontier." Ash listed off his major accomplishments while April tried to contain a laugh.

"So…It would be safe to assume that you are in the top ten percent of trainers in the world. Sounds great, but not nearly enough to be considered the 'World's Greatest Pokemon Master'. I have placed in the Top 8 in the Indigo Plateau Conference, which is better than you, Top 4 in the Silver Conference, again better than you, and Top 32 in the Ever Grande Conference which was due to a flaw in my training strategies during that run. So, I think it's safe to say that I am a much better trainer than you," April concluded.

"Hey, you shouldn't base a trainers worth on his accomplishments. Base it on the strength of his team!" exclaimed Ash.

"Funny you should mention that, because your team currently consists of an ugly snake that doesn't listen to you and a fat little rodent," April replied flatly.

"_What the hell did she just say?_" Pikachu jumped up, ready to battle this unknown trainer.

"Oh yeah, why don't we battle so I can see your team then!" exclaimed Ash. April rolled her eyes.

"I normally don't entertain novices such as yourself, but you have an interesting battle style that I would like to see in action…so I will indulge your interests."

"Just to let you know, I only have two Pokemon with me so the best we can do is a 2-on-2 battle," admitted Ash. This prompted a hearty laugh from April.

"Wow, what a novice, only two Pokemon? How in the world did you defeat the Battle Frontier with only two Pokemon?" asked April.

"I have tons of other Pokemon! But I leave them at the lab with Professor Oak every time I start a new journey. That way I can make new friends and form new relationships each time."

"Friends? Relationships? What are you having sex with your Pokemon? Pokemon aren't meant to be raised with love, they need to be raised with tact and power. They aren't your friends, they're a means to an end. For you, that end is becoming a Pokemon Master. For me, that end is becoming the greatest Ground Trainer ever. Everyone has an end that they are trying to accomplish…Pokemon just help you get there," April explained. Ash closed his eyes and clenched his hands in a fist.

"That's not true! You're supposed to be friends with your Pokemon and treat them with love and care. That way, you get the best out of them and…"

"And what?" April interrupted him, "Place in the Top 32 of the Ever Grande Conference? I tried the love and care route and all it got me was 32nd place! When I was in Kanto and Johto I raised my Pokemon with my head, not my heart. I focused on raising their levels and evolving them in order to get the most power out of them and I did pretty good in the Indigo and Silver Conferences. So I decided to let my Pokemon have a break in Hoenn and I raised them with love and care. Then I got embarrassed at the Ever Grande Conference! I'm never raising Pokemon that way again. Strength and Power is the only way to go!"

"It's not your Pokemon's fault that you lost so early, there are tons of great trainers out there all looking for the same goal. Top 32 isn't even that bad," said Ash. April laughed again.

"Of course a _loser_ like you would think that! But for me, Top 32 is just as bad as losing in the preliminary rounds. A loser is a loser no matter what place they get. Places are just there to make the losers feel good about their losing, thus reinforcing the losing and causing them to lose even more…kind of like you."

"I AM NOT A LOSER! At least I care about my Pokemon!" Ash growled.

"I love it! You know, you look kind of cute when you're angry," April smirked.

"What?" asked Brock and Manuel in unison.

"Ahhh!" Ash shook his head, "Can we just get on with this battle!"

"Whatever you say…cutie," she answered. Brock fell into a heap.

"Why does Ash get all the girls? What's he got that I don't?" asked Brock.

"_Me!_'' Pikachu exclaimed as she jumped onto Ash's shoulder. "_And we're gonna beat the crap out of this wannabe_."

"Yeah, we'll show her who's the real loser," Ash replied.

"Wow, he even talks to the Pikachu…what a loser."

"That's it…Brock, can you do the honors?" asked Ash. Brock nodded.

"This will be a 2-on-2 single battle with no substitutions. The first trainer to run out of usable Pokemon will be the loser. Begin!"

* * *

**Dun-Dun-Duuuunnn! It seems Ash has found a new rival in April, who appears to be quite the tsundere. I hope you enjoyed Chapter 4! I believe there has been some confusion as to the premise of this story. First, it's based on America (obviously) and as such, there will be several references in the story to America. There were a few in the first couple chapters if you didn't notice. Mal is a reference to Miami-Dade County in Florida (thus all the hispanics, I changed them from Cuban to Mexican though because Im more familiar with the Mexican culture). The Dons & Gores are representative of the Bloods & Crips (as well as gang violence in America in general). Magnoville & Goldpond Town are supposed to be like the South (Georgia, Alabama, etc.). There will be other pop culture references or just easter eggs in the story as well. One of them was the Gym Leader Arthur Poda (if you didn't notice, he is a bug type Gym Leader and his name is a reference to the phylum Arthropoda) There will be several references like this throughout the story...so see if you can catch them! Also, I made a twitter! So if you like the story follow me bigC_94 or my roleplay account brockthadoc (I roleplay as Brock). With the Bug Brothers defeated, Ash and Manuel have won their first battle in Acirema! But it seems as a new rival has challenged Ash's battle style and training style as well. Will Ash come out victorious? Will April crush Ash into the dirt? Will Brock ever learn his lesson? Find out in the next exciting installment of Adventures in Acirema!**


	5. Chapter 5: Rival Battle

**When we last left off, our hero was preparing to battle April; a mysterious trainer who criticizes Ash's method of training, but seems to have affections toward him. Will Ash be able to defeat this new rival? Does she truly like Ash, or is it all a ruse? Only one way to find out!**

* * *

Ash glared at April, his eyes burning wildly with intense passion. April just smirked.

"I know I'm probably the most beautiful woman you've ever laid eyes on," she said while running her hand through her hair seductively, "but if you're just gonna stand there and stare at me all day then I guess I'll have to go first." She pulled a Pokeball off her belt and expanded it. "Vibrava…Let's Dance!" She threw the Pokeball into the air and out came Vibrava.

"Brrraaavvvaaa!"

"Cool! I've never seen one of those before." Manuel pulled out his Poketab and pointed towards the Pokémon.

"Vibrava, the Vibration Pokémon and the evolved form of Trapinch. The powerful ultrasonic waves created from the vibration of its wings are used to kill its prey and have also been known to cause headaches."

"Vibrava is one of my more recently caught Pokémon. I caught her as a Trapinch while I was traveling through Hoenn. It takes a long time to raise Trapinch into Flygon, but it's worth the effort. Vibrava should get some good experience after beating a loser like you," said April smugly.

"For the last time…I AM NOT A LOSER!" Ash fumed. "And I wasn't staring at you either!"

"Whatever. Just send out your first Pokémon so we can get this over with," April smirked.

"Hmph. Lavader, I choose you!" Ash threw his Pokeball and, once again, the area was surrounded by the black shroud. When the fog cleared Lavader took its place, glaring menacingly.

"Hahaha! Lavader?" April could barely contain her laughter. "You are aware that Lavader is a Fire and Ground type right? That means that it will be effected four times as much by my Ground attacks since both Fire and Ground are weak against Ground. It's basic Pokémon battling knowledge, but then again I wouldn't expect a novice like you to understand."

"I know about type disadvantages, but sometimes the best way to get your Pokémon to grow is to give it a challenge," explained Ash.

"Wow, he doesn't even care that he's at a disadvantage. Ash has got some guts," said Manuel.

"I'll go first. Lavader, use Quick Attack!" Lavader flew across the field with breakneck speed and slammed into Vibrava. Vibrava went flying into the air, but stabilized itself by hovering gently to the ground.

"What a landing!" Manuel exclaimed.

"Impressed? My Pokémon are in peak physical condition, just like myself. Though I must say, that was one of the fastest Quick Attacks I have ever seen," said April.

"Yeah," Ash scratched the back of his head and smiled, "It's hard to keep up with Lavader when it's flying around the field like that."

"Vibrava, how about we show them what we're made of? Hit them with Earth Power!"

Vibrava began to glow and then the ground around it started shaking. Ash stumbled to keep his balance. The ground cracked and a large piece of earth shot Lavader up into the air.

"Now, time for Rock Slide!" Vibrava glowed once more and large rocks fell from the sky on top of Lavader, knocking it back to the ground.

"Oh no, Lavader!" Ash cried. Lavader laid on the ground fainted.

"Lavader is unable to battle, Vibrava is the winner!" Brock ruled.

"Lavader is a very fast Pokémon, but it sacrifices speed for HP. It has a very low base HP, lower than any other starter Pokémon. So, if someone manages to land a few hits on it, it will faint quickly. But again, I wouldn't expect a novice like you to know this," April smugly explained.

"Lavader you put up a good fight, rest up." Ash returned Lavader and turned to Pikachu. "You ready buddy?"

"_Let's do this!"_ Pikachu jumped onto the battlefield and growled.

"You really don't get type disadvantages, do you?" April sighed. "No matter, at least Vibrava will get some decent experience out of that rodent. Use Dragon Breath!"

"Braavvvaaa!" Vibrava opened its mouth wide and shot a beam of blue light towards Pikachu.

"Pikachu, dodge it and use Quick Attack!" Ash commanded. Pikachu swiftly jumped out the way and darted towards Vibrava. She jumped off one of the upended rocks and shot into the air, slamming into Vibrava and knocking her to the ground.

"Yeah!" Ash exclaimed. "See? I don't need Electric attacks to beat you!"

"We'll see about that! Vibrava, let's shake things up!" Vibrava started glowing again and the ground began to shake violently. Pikachu was knocked off its feet and then shot up into the air by an upended rock.

"Wow! That was a powerful Earthquake!" Manuel exclaimed.

"Like I said, power and strength beats heart any day," said April.

"How am I gonna beat her if Pikachu's most powerful attacks aren't effective?" Ash asked himself. "Wait, I have an idea!" He turned to Pikachu, who had just picked herself up off the ground. "Pikachu, jump on that Vibrava!"

"_Right!_" Pikachu nodded and hopped onto Vibrava.

"Shake that rat off you!" shouted April. Vibrava darted through the air in attempt to fling Pikachu off her, but it was to no avail as Pikachu was hanging on tight.

"Alright Pikachu, use your most powerful Thunderbolt!"

"Piiikkkaaaaaaachuuuuu!" Pikachu unleashed a bolt of lightning that shot high into the sky. It was so powerful that the light was nearly blinding. April, Ash, Manuel and Brock shielded their eyes from the light.

"So is your plan to blind Vibrava? Don't you know Thunderbolt isn't effective? No wonder you're such a loser," April jeered.

"What is Ash doing now?" Manuel asked himself. Suddenly, a loud thunder clapped through the air. Then, a downpour of rain came down on Vibrava, but the rain was only on the battlefield and not anywhere else.

"What's going on?" April asked. Vibrava fell out of the air and hit the ground hard. Ash just smiled.

"Convective Rain. I noticed that there were a few Cumulus congestus clouds hovering over the battlefield. So, I had Pikachu use a powerful Thunderbolt in order to heat up the air on the battlefield and make it hotter than the air around us, causing the sudden rain. Convective rain only falls for a short time, so it'll go away soon, but for now it seems to be working," Ash explained. April looked at Vibrava, who was weakening under the downpour. Brock sweat dropped.

"Since when did Ash become a meteorologist?"

"Now, Pikachu, lets finish this off with an Iron Tail!" Pikachu jumped into the air and grinned. Her tail hardened and turned into iron.

"Vibrava, dodge it!" April commanded. However, Vibrava was too weak to fly away. Pikachu landed above Vibrava and slammed it further into the ground with her Iron Tail.

"Braaavvvvaaa!" Vibrava cried out before it fainted.

"Vibrava is unable to battle, Pikachu is the winner!" Brock ruled.

"_Like always,_" Pikachu winked.

"Hmph, no fair you cheated!" April cried.

"I didn't cheat, it's simple laws of nature," Ash grinned.

"Whatever. I was going to use Cratus next, but it's obvious your better than I thought," April admitted. She pulled another Pokeball off her belt and threw it into the air. "Rhydon…Let's Dance!" The earth shook when Ryhdon hit the ground. It reared its head back and let out a terrifying roar.

"Rhydon is the most powerful of all my Pokémon. He was the first Pokémon I caught in Kanto and has been with me through everything. We will NOT lose to the likes of you!" April shouted.

"Wow, that Rhydon looks strong!" Manuel pulled out his Poketab once more.

"Rhydon, the Drill Pokémon and the evolved form of Rhyhorn. Its armor-like hide is able to withstand heat of over 3,600 degrees. While standing on its hind legs, it shows signs of intelligence."

"_You don't look so smart from down here buddy,_" said Pikachu. Rhydon stood over Pikachu and let out another roar. Suddenly, the rain stopped.

"Good, the rain let up. I'll be sure not to let you pull another trick like that again. Rhydon, attack with Hammer Arm!" Rhydon's arm glowed white as it ran towards Pikachu. Pikachu took a defensive stance, ready for a command from Ash.

"O.k. Pikachu, counter that Hammer Arm with an Iron Tail!" Pikachu nodded and then hopped into the air. Her tail turned to iron and collided with Rhydon's arm, causing a massive explosion of energy to shake the air. Pikachu used the momentum from the collision to swiftly backflip off Rhydon's arm and land on the ground unscathed.

"Nice moves, but try to counter this. Rhydon, Earthquake now!" Rhydon stomped its foot on the ground, causing the whole battlefield to shake. Rocks flew and nearby bushes were uprooted. Pikachu was shot into the air by the tremors and then landed hard on her back.

"_I'm getting too old for this…_"

"Wow, that Earthquake was even more powerful than Vibrava's!" said Manuel.

"Like I said, Rhydon is my strongest Pokémon," April replied. Rhydon let out another ferocious roar in agreement.

"Can you still battle Pikachu?" Ash knew that that Earthquake was not only extremely powerful, but super effective as well. Pikachu struggled to get up, but managed to slowly rise to her feet.

"_I've still got some fight left in me. I'm not going down that easily!_" she answered.

"Alright then," Ash nodded, "We'll just have to try a different strategy. Use Electroball!" Manuel sweat dropped.

"Come on ese, even I get that Electric type moves don't work against Ground types," Manuel said.

"Pika…pika…pikachu, pi!" Pikachu jumped into the air and formed a ball of electricity in its tail. She spun around and flung the ball straight at Rhydon. Rhydon was knocked back by the ball, but was not affected.

"Why you would even use Electroball is beyond me…but I can't expect anything less from a novice like you," April commented.

"Pikachu, use it again and again and again!" Ash commanded.

"_Are you serious?_" she asked. Ash nodded and then winked. "_Ohhhh…_" Pikachu replied, realizing Ash's plan. Pikachu fired Electroball after Electroball at Rhydon, but Rhydon was unfazed. Rhydon just kept taking a step back and then absorbing the hit; until it took a step back into a deep hole in the ground.

"Rhy?" Rhydon tried to lift its foot out of the hole, but it was no use. Rhydon's foot was stuck!

"Hahaha, worked like a charm!" Ash boasted.

"Hmph! So you had a plan all along?" April frowned.

"Sure did," Ash nodded. "How about we help Rhydon out that hole Pikachu? Use Quick Attack!"

"Brace yourself, Rhydon!" Rhydon held its arms in front of its body as Pikachu came nearer.

"Pika, pika, pika, pikachu pi!" Pikachu slammed right into Rhydon's arms, knocking it off balance and causing it to fall hard on its back.

"Is it over? Did we win?" Ash asked. However, Rhydon slowly rose and let out another roar.

"Hah! It's going to take much more than a Quick Attack to take down my precious Rhydon!" April exclaimed.

"O.k. then," Ash replied, "Pikachu, hit 'em with Iron Tail!" Pikachu ran towards Rhydon and jumped into the air.

"Rhydon, catch Pikachu's tail!"

Rhydon grabbed Pikachu's tail right as it was about to make contact.

"Ah!" Ash was stunned.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried.

"Now finish this off with Hammer Arm!" Rhydon's arm which was gripping Pikachu glowed white. Rhydon lifted its arm high into the air and slammed Pikachu into the ground. The impact caused a massive crater to form in the ground inside of which Pikachu laid fainted.

"Pikachu is unable to battle, Rhydon is the winner! Ash is out of usable Pokémon which means that April has won the battle!" Brock ruled.

"Rhydon return!"

"Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed. He ran over to the crater and jumped in. "You o.k. buddy?"

"_I've been better…_" she replied weakly.

"You did a good job, we almost had the win."

"Almost had the win? Please, don't make me laugh!" April exclaimed. Ash climbed out of the crater and approached April, eyes blazing.

"Oh yeah? Well next time will be different! We'll beat you for sure!" Ash shot back. April giggled, which garnered a shocked response from the trio.

"Well then," April leaned in closer to Ash and whispered in his ear, "I'll be looking forward to it." She giggled again before quickly biting his ear lobe and then walking away. Brock and Manuel stood gaping in awe while Ash seemed frozen on the spot. Pikachu rolled her eyes.

"_Boys, nothing but testosterone filled..."_ she said to herself as she hit the three with a small Thundershock.

"Ah!" shouted the boys in unison before falling to the ground in a charred heap. Ash got up and shook his head.

"April wait!" he shouted towards April, who by now was already a good distance away from the three. She stopped but did not turn to face them.

"What is it?"

"What's up with that Iron coin hanging around your neck?" asked Ash. April lifted her hand and waved it backwards in dismissal.

"Of course a novice like you wouldn't recognize a famed Brawl Coin when you saw one. Goodbye Ashy boy," she replied before walking out of earshot. Ash blushed and fumed at the same time.

"Grr…don't call me Ashy boy! And just you wait the next time we…"

"ASH!" Manuel and Brock shouted.

"What?"

"She can't hear you, ese," Manuel pointed out.

"Oh…right…"

"Hey, what's her deal anyway? First, she smacks me and says she doesn't need a man and that she's a 'grown woman'. But then she's all lovey-dovey with Ash and nibbling his ear!" Brock asked.

"Yeah…I don't get her either…" Ash scratched the back of his head.

"I know what she's up to!" Manuel lifted a finger into the air. "She's obviously trying to mess with your head."

"What? How do you know?" asked Ash.

"Because I've seen this before. She sees your passion for Pokémon, so she criticizes the way you battle and train your Pokémon in an attempt to make you angry. She also knows that you are a male which means you can be easily…_ahem_…influenced by the looks and charm of a hot chick. So, she tries to stir up your emotions by flirting with you and getting you to like her. All these ingredients mixed together make for one confused and conflicted trainer, which is easy bait for the likes of her!" Manuel folded his arms and grinned, quite pleased with his explanation of the mystery.

"Wow…that sounded like one of Cilan's evaluations…" Ash sweatdropped.

"Well if she knew Ash, she'd know that only _part _of her plan is going to work…the part about Pokémon. As for the part about girls…" Brock started.

"Hey! Just what are you trying to say, Brock?" Ash shouted.

"Hehehe…let's just say you aren't the most…_interested_…when it comes to girls," Brock explained.

"I'm interested in girls!" Ash exclaimed. "At least I'm not a creep and don't harass every girl I see! I'm just not interested in them _now_…I've got to become a Pokémon Master and I can't have any distractions."

"Hold on a minute, ese. Pokémon should never…ever come before women!" said Manuel. Brock nodded in agreement.

"Why not?" asked Ash.

"Because ese, women are like the lifeblood of man. Without them, we can only last but so long before we go into a downward spiral of loneliness and despair!" said Manuel.

"Yes! Without woman, man is incomplete. Like a Nurse Joy without a Chansey, or a Squirtle without a shell…" Brock added.

"…We need them vato, but more importantly…_they_ need _us_! We are their shoulder to cry upon when times get tough…"

"…their rock to stand upon when things get rough…"

"…WE NEED WOMEN!" the two shouted in unison, images of beautiful women swirling around in their heads. Ash just looked on, confused. Pikachu rolled her eyes and then coughed.

"_No, you need to get laid…_" she said weakly.

"Hey Pikachu, you're not so hot after that battle are you?" asked Ash.

"_Not really, that Rhydon imprinted my face into the earth,_" Pikachu replied.

"Dude, your Pikachu looks bad man." Ash turned around and was met by a tall Caucasian man who appeared to be in his early twenties and was well built. He had bright blue eyes and blonde, shoulder length hair. His jawline was very well defined and led down to a cleft chin. He wore dark shades above his head along with a plain green t-shirt, khaki cargo pants and brown sandals. He also had a wristband that read "Save the Shroomish".

"How many random people are there in these woods?" asked Ash.

"Well the Magnoville Forrest is the largest ecosystem in all of Acirema, so I'd say plenty. The names Shane, by the way, Shane Singleton," Shane stuck his hand out and shook Ash's.

"Hi, I'm Ash from Pallet Town and this is my buddy Pikachu," Ash said holding up Pikachu.

"I'm Brock, a Pokémon Doctor," said Brock shaking Shane's hand. Manuel ran up to Shane and pushed Brock aside.

"Did you say Singleton? As in Aaron Singleton?" Shane sweat dropped and nodded.

"You've got that right little bro."

"Do you know this guy Manuel?" asked Ash. Manuel glared at Ash which caused him to take a step back.

"Do I know this guy? DO I KNOW THIS GUY!? Oh no, he's only the brother of the GREATEST ACTOR ON THE FREAKING PLANET!" Manuel shouted. "Aaron Singleton has acted in tons of box office hits ranging from all genres. He's won 11 Pokecademy Awards for his performances and get this…he's only 22 years old!"

"Wow!" Brock and Ash said in unison.

"Actually he's only won ten Pokecademy Awards…but if this latest movie goes well, he could get his eleventh," Shane corrected.

"Oh yeah, I forgot he's playing the lead in _A Sawk in a Hard Place_, I so want to see that movie, man. It's gonna be awesome!" Manuel beamed.

"Sounds cool!" exclaimed Ash.

"So…about your Pikachu. I heard a big explosion so I ran down here as quickly as I could. Thought it might be those bastards from Pokelectronix, but I guess it was your Pikachu huh?" asked Shane.

"Yeah, Pikachu got pummeled by some girl's Rhydon," Ash replied.

"Not just any girl…April…" Manuel and Brock went back into their imagination state once again.

"You mean April as in Sandy's daughter? I know her, she pretty cocky, but I guess she has the rep to back it up. Still, she doesn't need to go around pounding people's Pokémon just to make herself feel better," Shane said.

"You know April?" asked Ash.

"Yeah, I beat her in the Ever Grande Conference in Hoenn. That was the year that I won the Conference, but then I lost to Drake."

"WAIT! YOU WON THE EVER GRANDE CONFERENCE!" Ash exclaimed.

"Hehehe, yeah I did…" Shane smiled and scratched the back of his head.

"And then you made it all the way to Drake? You must be a really powerful trainer," Brock put in.

"I don't like to brag, but I was pretty good back in the day. Right now I'm just kinda taking a break though," Shane said.

"Cool…so do you know how to help Pikachu?" asked Ash.

"Sure thing, dude. I've got just the solution in my bag." Shane reached into his bag and pulled out a small bottle. "I call it, Miracle Soup! It's a 100% organic mixture of broth and natural herbs that is guaranteed to make your Pikachu feel as good as new. It's much safer than using those nasty manufactured potions and revives." Shane handed the bottle to Ash, who slowly fed it to Pikachu.

"_Wow! I feel amazing! Where's that Rhydon, I want a round two,_" said Pikachu as she sprang up.

"Hahaha! Pikachu is as good as new, thanks a lot Shane!" exclaimed Ash. Shane waved him off.

"Think nothing of it, dude. I'm just one traveler helping out another. Hey, it's gonna be dark soon, how about I take you bros to my house in Magnoville. You can stay for the night if you'd like," Shane offered.

"We'd love to, thanks!" said the three in unison.

"Well it's settled then," Shane smiled, "Magnoville's this way!"

* * *

When Ash and the gang arrived in Magnoville, all three were stunned. Miles and miles of farmland stretched out as far as the eye could see. Fields of Miltank and Tauros were scattered about as well as orchards filled with what seemed like hundreds upon thousands of berry trees.

"Wow…Its beautiful!" exclaimed Brock.

"Reminds me a little of Pallet Town," said Ash.

"Yeah, Magnoville is a small and quiet town…a lot like Pallet," Shane replied.

"You've been to Pallet?" asked Ash.

"Only while traveling with Aaron for business. I haven't been to Kanto for the gyms yet, but I've seen pretty much every town in Kanto," explained Shane. He led them to a large Plantation style home in the middle of one of the fields.

"This is where me and Aaron grew up. We don't live here anymore, but we make sure to stop by when we're not too busy. Come on in," said Shane as he opened the door.

"Wow, your house is huge ese!"

"Indeed, we Singleton's were among the first settlers in Acirema. We founded this town long ago. This house has been standing ever since the first of our ancestors claimed this land!" exclaimed an older voice. The group turned to see an older man approaching them slowly, walking with a cane and a slight limp.

"Papa!" Shane hugged the man tightly.

"Its good to see you Shane my boy. You haven't been back in a while," said the man. "I see you've brought guests?"

"Sorry. Guys this is my grandpa. Papa, these are some friends I met out in the forest," said Shane.

"Nice to meet you sir, I'm Ash from Pallet Town and this is my buddy Pikachu," Ash introduced himself and bowed.

"I'm Emmanuel Ortiz, sir," Manuel shook his hand.

"And I'm Brock," Brock shook his hand as well.

"Nice to meet you all, you can just call me Mr. Singleton," said Mr. Singleton with a slight bow.

"Is that my Shane I hear?" asked an old woman who can running into the hallway from the kitchen. She beamed when she saw Shane and the two embraced.

"This is my grandma. Nana, these are some friends I met in the forest," explained Shane.

"Well it's wonderful to meet you all. I was just about to prepare supper, I suppose I will have to prepare a bit more than planned," she smiled and ran back into the kitchen.

"I am going outside to check on the cattle before the night falls. I will return shortly," said Mr. Singleton as he stepped out the house.

"So," Shane turned to the trio and smiled, "how about we have a little chat?"

* * *

**Ash was unable to defeat April...but he held up pretty well considering how good of a trainer she is. Also, it seems the trio has made a new friend in Shane, the brother of a movie star and a powerful trainer in his own right. Just a quick A/N: I'd love to hear your reaction to the story so far and the best way for me to get that reaction is from reviews. So don't be shy to leave a quick review on how you feel about the story! Also, do not fear...the AAML is coming...slowly. It can't just be thrown into the story suddenly, it has to be eased in. What more will the group learn about their new friend? Will he decide to travel with the trio? How much longer will Ash have to wait for his first gym battle? Stay tuned for the next exciting installment of Adventures in Acirema!**


	6. Chapter 6: Aaron't You Glad I Called?

**Yeah...I know...the title is a bit cringe-worthy; but I'm trying to keep the titles authentic, like the anime used to do them. And if you've watched any of the older anime then you know that many of those titles were cheesy. Anyway, let's get back to the action!**

* * *

Shane, Ash, Brock and Manuel sat around a large, antique looking mahogany dinner table. The table was set up with decorative china that looked as if it hadn't been touched in years. A large Victorian chandelier hung over the table and spread its light throughout the room. Around the dining room hung various pictures of distinguished looking men and their families. The group could hear Mrs. Singleton scurrying about the kitchen, which was the next room over.

"So Shane, how about you tell us a little bit about yourself?" asked Brock. Shane nodded and pondered where to start before speaking.

"Well, I grew up on the family land in Magnoville along with my older brother, Aaron, and my younger brother, Martin. Aaron is three years my senior, so he left for his journey when I was seven and Martin was just three. The Singleton's are a long line of respected Pokémon trainers, breeders, and Professors. My father used to be one of Professor Cypress's top aides before he moved back to Magnoville and started his own lab. My grandpa, the man whom you met earlier, was an Acirema Elite Four before he retired to take care of the farm. My great-grandfather was also an Elite Four member…I think you get the picture," said Shane.

"Wow, you have a very prestigious lineage," said Brock. Ash facepalmed.

"What's the matter?" asked Shane who was quite puzzled.

"Did you say your dad has a lab here?" Ash asked.

"Yes…why?" Shane replied slowly.

"Ah! We were supposed to deliver a package from Professor Cypress to him!" Ash exclaimed. Shane looked out the window and frowned.

"I am sorry, but he's probably fast asleep by now."

"What? It's dark, but it's still only 9 o'clock!" exclaimed Manuel.

"Yeah, my father is more of a morning person. He goes to sleep early and wakes up well before dawn to do his research. You should be able to catch him when you leave in the morning though." Shane explained.

"Good, I don't want to delay my first gym battle anymore!" exclaimed Ash.

"You are quite excitable aren't you?" asked Shane. "You remind me of my brother, Aaron, when he first left. He was ready to take on the entire world if he had to. Aaron was determined to be the one to carry on the family name of fierce and feared Pokémon Trainers. However, he soon found that he was no good at battling. For two years he traveled and trained around Acriema, but only had three badges to show for it. He was extremely discouraged and was depressed for a number of months before he finally decided to try out a contest. He thought that entering a contest would be a good way to get back in the game after having not battled for several months. He easily won the contest and gained new hope. He was still a lousy Pokémon trainer…but he was a damn fine Coordinator. He obtained five ribbons within a matter of months and impressed at every contest he attended. Aaron then swept through the Grand Festival and became Top Coordinator. At the time Contests were relatively new in Acirema, Aaron was only the second person to be named Top Coordinator; so he became an instant star in Acirema. All this fame gave him the confidence to travel to other regions and compete in their Contests as well. Aaron had just won the Sinnoh Grand Festival when I began my journey.

"I was always an adventurer, so instead of starting my journey in Acirema like Aaron had, I took a ship all the way to Hoenn. Unlike Aaron, battling came naturally to me and I easily obtained the eight badges needed to compete in the Ever Grande Conference. I suppose I had inherited our family's battle skills and not Aaron…but Aaron was still doing well for himself. I easily won the Ever Grande Conference and went on to challenge the Elite Four. I made it all the way to Drake before his powerful Dragon Pokémon destroyed me. Still, I was quite satisfied that I had gotten so far in my first Conference. I would have been happy making the Top 32! I came back home and found that in just one year, Aaron had become Top Coordinator in the Hoenn and Johto Regions as well! A Coordinator winning two Grand Festivals in one year was unheard of; and now that he was Top Coordinator in four different regions he had become a worldwide celebrity at the age of 14. Aaron started receiving calls from all over for appearances, television shows, and movies! Not wanting to fall behind, I ventured out to Sinnoh where I made a name for myself after easily defeating eight gym leaders and winning the Lily of the Valley Conference. This time, I was determined to become Champion. My determination and will took me right to the top…I was getting to battle Cynthia herself! I was so excited and nervous at the same time; I was only 11 after all. My battle with Cynthia was an epic one, one that she still talks about to this day…but in the end she was able to defeat me. I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed, but I wasn't angry either. I had finally made it to the Champion, and I was the winner of two Conferences…so I was content.

"After losing to Cynthia, I packed up and headed back to Magnoville. There, I decided to study under my dad and learn the ways of Pokémon so that I would become a better battler. I was already a great trainer, but one can never learn too much. At the age of 16 I landed a job at Pokelectronix. At first, I was elated at the chance to work for the greatest Pokémon tech company in the world. I worked hard to make it to the top…but once I got there I realized what big business is really all about. There was so much shadiness and secrecy going on behind closed doors that I found it disheartening. The final straw was when I found out that Thomas Tesla, the leader of the Electra City gym and President of Pokelectronix, was planning on deforesting almost half of the Magnoville Forest in order to build the largest mall in the world. It was an ambitious project…but one that I could not get behind. I quit my job at Pokelectronix and gathered some of my friends to start a protest. The public didn't even know that Tesla was planning on deforesting to build his mall, it was just going to happen one day and there would be nothing anyone could do or say about it! My small group of protesters grew larger and larger each day until we gained enough attention by the national media to force Tesla to speak out about it. Of course, being the slick businessman that he is, he smooth-talked the media into believing that the mall was essential for the growth of Acirema's economy and made my group look like enemies of our country. Through all of this, Aaron supported me and used his fame and connections to help further our cause. Because Aaron was such a super star, the public began to agree with our side of the fight. Finally, the pressure became too much and Tesla called off his deforestation project. After this large debacle, I've decided to lay low for awhile. I was in the limelight for so long that I just need some time to myself. People all over call me the 'Savior of the Forest' but I'm just a guy who didn't want to see Pokémon's homes destroyed. Also, from then on I vowed never to use a Pokelectronix made or manufactured good."

"Wow…that's a lot to take in…" said Brock.

"So that's why you mentioned Pokelectronix when we first met…you thought they were cutting down trees," said Ash, glancing at Shane's Save the Shroomish wristband.

"Right, if they had been…I would have raised hell. It's been almost two years since the whole thing, so I wouldn't put it past them to try and restart their little project," explained Shane.

"But how do you live if you don't use things made by Pokelectronix?" asked Manuel. "They manufacture and distribute just about everything we use in our daily lives here in Acirema."

"I learned a lot from my years studying with my dad and working at Pokelectronix, so most of the things I use I made myself. The Miracle Soup is one example…I usually use berries or other natural herbs to heal my Pokémon. As far as technology, while working at Pokelectronix I secretly developed my own type of Pokeball, which I call the Single Ball," Shane pulled out a plain looking solid green Pokeball and laid it on the table, "It's crafted from Apricots, so it's as natural as they get." Ash picked up the green ball and examined it.

"So cool, I haven't seen a Pokeball made out of Apricots in years!" he exclaimed.

"Apricots are extremely hard to come by, though, so I don't have a lot of these. Still, I don't catch many Pokémon. I've had the same team with me throughout Hoenn and Sinnoh, they've become somewhat of a second family to me," said Shane.

"My Pokémon are like my family too; I raise them all like I would a little brother or sister. Pokémon should be your friends, not your slaves," Ash explained.

"Exactly! We seem to think alike, Ash Ketchum."

"Yeah, but April doesn't seem to agree with me. She thinks Pokémon are just a way to get to her goal. She said that she used to raise her Pokémon with love and affection, but when she lost to you she threw that away in favor of power and strength," said Ash solemnly.

"I'm sorry she took the loss so hard," said Shane, "but one loss shouldn't be the reason to change your entire philosophy…she must have some serious issues with her ego."

"Those are issues I would gladly deal with," remarked Brock. Ash shot Brock a look.

"Can it Brock…she didn't seem to like you anyway."

"Oh…I'm sensing a bit of protectiveness and jealously in that statement," said Manuel. Ash violently shook his head.

"No, no, no, no, NO, NO, NO! No way! I could care less about her!" Ash cried out.

"Nah, I saw the way you looked at her, vato. You want some of that, don't you?" Manuel teased.

"I told you I don't like her!" Ash exclaimed.

"I don't see why not," Brock interjected, "she's a very beautiful woman and she's a talented trainer as well."

"O.k., so maybe I think she looks good…so what?" asked Ash defensively.

"Oh…my…sweet Arceus. Did I just hear Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town say that a _woman_ looked good?" Brock couldn't believe his ears.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean? I've thought plenty of girls looked good before…"

"Dinner Time!" Mrs. Singleton shouted, capturing the attention of the entire room.

"_Saved by the bell,_" Pikachu chuckled to herself.

* * *

"That was delicious! Thanks a lot Mrs. Singleton!" Manuel exclaimed.

"Think nothing of it," the old woman replied with a smile, "we want only the best for Shane and any of his friends."

"It really was great…even better than Brock or Cilan's cooking!" Ash chimed in.

"I agree," Brock nodded, "it was a very delectable meal, mam."

"You children are too kind. It was my pleasure to serve you all," said the old woman. Mr. Singleton turned to his three guests.

"So, how long are you folks planning on staying?"

"Actually, we're heading out tomorrow morning to give a package to Professor Singleton from Professor Cypress and then…" Mr. Singleton's eyes lit up at the mention of Professor Cypress.

"You mean that bitch from Mal?" Mr. Singleton cut Ash off. Ash, Manuel and Brock were taken aback by his sudden change in demeanor.

"Honey, please!" his wife pleaded as she laid a hand on his shoulder.

"What? Mal is full of no good, dirty, lying, thieving…" Manuel shot up.

"Hey! I'm from Mal!"

"And would you disagree with me?" Manuel quietly sat back down. "Case in point." Mr. Singleton harrumphed.

"What's up with your grandpa and his Mal hating?" Ash whispered to Shane.

"My dad, his son, Professor Singleton, was engaged to Professor Cypress…it's a long story, I'll tell it to you some other time," Shane whispered back.

"So what's in the package? No doubt that whore is trying to get back with my son…I'll bet she's got all kinds of erotic pictures of herself in it…" Mr. Singleton asked.

"Imagine that…" Brock said to himself as he tried to conjure indecent images of Professor Cypress. Ash kicked him in the shin.

"Um…we don't know what's inside the package. I didn't think it was our business to intrude. But if she was gonna send him…_those_ kinds of things…wouldn't she do it by phone?" Ash slowly asked, a slight blush apparent on his face.

"Impossible, I made sure our phone numbers were no longer in her possession," Mr. Singleton replied.

"Email, then?"

"What's email?" asked Mr. Singleton. Ash facepalmed. Shane, feeling rather uncomfortable with the whole situation, interjected.

"Hey…how about I give Aaron a call? I haven't talked to him in a while and I'm sure the guys would love to meet him."

"Would we ever!" Manuel beamed.

"Great! You guys come with me. We have a video phone in the living room."

* * *

Ash and the gang crowded around the large screen in the far corner of the living room. Shane pressed a few buttons and the screen lit up before entering the phone number. The tone was heard as a Pokeball rotated in the middle of the screen. After a couple rotations, a face, similar to Shane's but more defined, appeared.

"Shane, what's shakin' little bro! Haven't heard from you in a minute!" Aaron exclaimed.

"It's been a while, man…It's good to see you, though. I have some friends with me who'd like to meet you."

"Hi, I'm Ash from Pallet Town, and this is my buddy Pikachu," Ash and Pikachu waved.

"I'm Brock, a Pokémon Doctor. Nice to meet you."

"Ay Dios Mi! It's really you!" Manuel lit up like a child on Christmas morning. Aaron smiled.

"I take it you're a fan?"

"Si! I've watched all your movies and all the awards shows…you're a great actor!" Manuel replied.

"Well thanks man, it's always nice to hear from the fans."

"So what have you been up to lately, big bro?" Shane asked.

"We just finished filming onsite in Cerulean City and we're about to…"

"CERULEAN CITY!" Ash unintentionally blurted out. Shane, Brock and Manuel rose their eyebrows while Aaron's eyes widened.

"Uh…yeah…Cerulean City…" Aaron said slowly. Ash blushed.

"Hehehe, sorry…It's just that I've been to Cerulean City so I know the area well. I've got some friends there too."

"Really? Well, take a look around bro!" Aaron, who was talking to the group on his Poketab, spun the device around to give the group a panoramic view of his settings. Ash's eyes lit up…he was in the Cerulean City Gym!

"Hey, I know that place…that's the Cerulean City Gym!" Brock exclaimed.

"Sure is, the one and only. Home of the world renowned Sensational Sisters! Would you like to meet them?" asked Aaron. Brock waved him off.

"Eh, we've already met them."

"You've met the Sensational Sisters?" asked Manuel who was clearly surprised.

"Yep," Brock replied, "as a matter of fact, we were good friends with their little sister Misty." When Brock mentioned Misty's name he turned to see Ash's reaction. Sure enough, he could tell Ash was thinking about her. Brock suddenly grinned a grin that would make a Huanter proud.

"Hey Aaron? Have you seen Misty around there? She's a little bit shorter than me, red hair, real cute girl?" Brock asked.

"Misty...woah!" Aaron shouted as he was suddenly dragged off screen. His Poketab fell lightly onto a desk. Shane blinked.

"What just happened?" After a few seconds, Aaron picked up the Poketab and appeared on the screen once again.

"Hehehe, sorry guys. I had some official business that needed to be attended to really quick."

"No problem…so about Misty…" Brock continued.

"What? Misty…haven't seen her around. I've heard about her though, if she shows up I'll give you guys a call," Aaron quickly spat out. Ash seemed crestfallen, which didn't go unnoticed by Brock.

"Thanks, but we probably won't be around. Tomorrow were delivering a package to Professor Singleton and then were heading out to Goldpond Town," explained Manuel.

"I see…so I take it you guys are on a journey then?" asked Aaron. Ash lit up.

"Yep! I'm gonna go kick some bug butt at the Goldpond Gym!" Ash exclaimed.

"Awesome little dude. You know…the next gym after Goldpond is in Electra City. If you guys get there by next week I can meet you in person."

"No way! We…could meet…._you_…in person?" Manuel said slowly.

"There's a big tournament being held in Electra City next week, the Ultimate Tourney to be exact. It's hosted by the big guy himself…Jamal, the Champion of Acirema. It's the event of the year! Celebrities from all around are gonna be there for parties and such, myself included. So, if you get there in time, we could meet up and I'll show you how the A-listers party!"

"That…sounds…awesome!" Manuel exclaimed.

"Guess we'd better hurry then," Ash said.

"Actually, Electra City isn't that far from Goldpond Town. They're only about a days walking distance apart…you guys will make it in time," Shane said.

"You guys? You're not gonna go with them little bro?" asked Aaron who seemed hurt.

"Well…I really don't want to go on another journey right now…but we haven't hung out in forever…so I guess I can come with you guys…"

"Alright!" Ash exclaimed.

"But! Only to Electra City, then I'm heading back home," Shane stated firmly.

"Fine with us," Brock replied.

"Yeah, it's gonna be awesome ese!" Manuel added.

"Then it's settled! Just call me when you get to Electra City…where's Papa?" asked Aaron. Shane looked around for a bit before returning to the screen.

"They called it a night…it's been a long day," Shane replied.

"That's cool, I'll just call them tomorrow morning."

"Guess I'll see you in Electra City then?" asked Shane.

"Count on it. Later dudes!"

"See ya!" The group said simultaneously. Shane cut the connection and turned to the group.

"You guys better get some sleep then…we've got a lot of walking to do!"

* * *

"You didn't have to jerk me away like that, you know," said Aaron after he shut his Poketab down. He turned around to face his red haired friend, who was standing behind him, but at an angle that was out of the Poketab's line of sight.

"Sorry," Misty rubbed her arm and looked down, "but…I couldn't let you tell them that I was here."

"Why not?" Aaron walked over to Misty and stood in front of her. "I thought they were your friends?"

"They are…but, well you see…I used to," Misty stammered, "nevermind…It was a long time ago and he probably doesn't even…." Aaron hushed Misty with a finger to her lips.

"You had feelings for one of them?"

"Yes…It was a long time ago though, when we were traveling together. We were just kids…so it's kind of silly to dwell on now but…I just can't let it go," said Misty.

"It was Ash Ketchum wasn't it?" asked Aaron. Misty was mortified.

"How…how did you know?"

"The way he was acting when I mentioned I was in Cerulean City…it was a dead giveaway. I'm an actor, I've been trained to read and interpret people's actions; it helps me act better when I'm in sync with the other person. So…do you still feel for him?" asked Aaron. Misty paused before continuing.

"Yes…I do…" she sighed as she lowered her head. Aaron laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't feel bad Misty…you two must have been close, it's hard to let go sometimes."

"Don't feel bad? I've had two boyfriends since I left to take care of the gym. Neither of them lasted longer than a week before I had to dump them. And now I'm with you, and I really like you and want to make it work this time..."

"But you're so in love with him that being with anyone else feels like betrayal."

"Exactly!" Misty exclaimed. "As much as I try to get over him, I can't! And you know what the funny thing is? He's probably way over me! Since I've been here alone for all these years, I've only been able to think about him. But he's been traveling the world with girls way better than me. I've met May…the Princess of Hoenn. She's so beautiful _and_ she's Top Coordinator in the Hoenn, Johto and Kanto Regions. Then he traveled with Dawn, I haven't met her but apparently she's good friends with May. Dawn became Top Coordinator in Sinnoh and Hoenn. I've seen pictures of her and she looks like a total minx. And there's Iris…she's not a supermodel, but she became the Champion of Unova and is a Dragon Master. And if I know Ash, he's attracted to power. He could like any one of them for all I know. They're all beautiful and powerful…two things I'm not."

"Come on Misty, don't shortchange yourself like that," Aaron lifted her chin up, "if you weren't beautiful…I never would have asked you out, would I?" Misty looked away again.

"I still don't understand. You're a hot shot movie star and I'm just the lowly runt of the Sensational Sisters that everyone forgot about. Why are you going out with me anyway?"

"Misty, I've dated _a lot_ of girls and I've…_ahem_…been with a few more; but you've got something most of those girls didn't have. You've got a good heart. You care for people even if you don't know them or if they don't care back. You're selfless, sweet, kind…" Aaron went on.

"Please, Aaron…you're making me blush…"

"…but sometimes you can be a bit controlling and over-assertive, not to mention you've got the temper of a Houndoom…"

"Ok, ok, I get it!" Misty snapped. Aaron winked.

"Told you. The point is, you don't give yourself enough credit. You're one of a kind. I'd give up a roll in the hay with the sexiest model on Earth for a week of time with you," Aaron said.

"That's sweet…I guess…"

"Hah, I've never been good with analogies, but you know what I mean," Aaron scratched the back of his head before continuing. "Listen, I'm going to Electra City and you're gonna come with me."

"WHAT! I can't…I really like you, but I wouldn't be able to stand seeing Ash while I'm going out with you," Misty argued.

"I'm willing to make this work. If you still have feelings for Ash, then tell him when we get there. If he has the same feelings…you're free to break up with me if you wish. If he doesn't have the same feelings as you, then we can work on our relationship for the time being…deal?" asked Aaron. Misty stopped and pondered his offer for a few seconds. She would confess to Ash, and if he didn't like her, she would at least know the truth and be able to move on. If he did like her, Aaron was o.k. with being dumped. It was a win-win…of sorts. Misty looked up into Aaron's smiling face.

"O.k., I'll go with you," she replied.

"Great! I was hoping you'd say yes…I'd love to have a date to the big event," Aaron winked. "There's a cast party in a couple of days, we can get packing when all this is finally over."

"That sounds good," Misty replied softly. Aaron leaned in and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. He then smiled one last time before running off with his personal assistant. Misty seemed detached from her surroundings; she gazed off into oblivion as she softly muttered one sentence.

"I'm finally going to see Ash…"

* * *

**Well, well, well...we finally get an appearance from Misty and she seems to be a bit conflicted. Will Ash and the gang make it to Electra City in time? How will Ash react when he sees Misty with Aaron? Could April have something to say about the whole situation? And more importantly...how much longer will it take for Ash to get his first Gym badge? (Don't worry, it's coming soon enough) Find out on the next exciting installment of Adventures in Acirema!**


	7. Chapter 7: Goldpond Town

**Just a quick note before we begin. Thanks to all of you out there reading the story; if you are enjoying it, leave a quick review. It doesn't have to be an in-depth analysis, just a simple "I'm enjoying the story", "I can't believe Ash did xxx" or "Can't wait for the next update" can suffice. Reviews give the writers an idea of how their audience is feeling and motivates them to better write to reader's liking...which is the reason I am writing this story, for you guys xD! Now, let's get back to the action!**

* * *

"There it is!" Shane exclaimed as he pointed to an old barn located just beyond a patch of Persim Berries. It looked like a barn straight out of a classic farm tale; there was even a worn out silo standing faithfully beside the barn, as if the two were inseparable. The only difference was that the barn was white instead of the stereotypical red. There was also a plantation home; similar to the one they had been staying in, only much smaller, a few yards to the right of the barn.

"His lab is…different than how I imagined it…" said Manuel. Shane laughed and rubbed the back of his head.

"Hah, yeah…my dad is somewhat of a recluse. He always preferred the quaint feel of our farm to the hustle and bustle of the city. I honestly don't know how he survived all those years working at Professor Cypress' high-tech lab," explained Shane.

"Excuse me for sounding rude…but how does he operate in that barn?" asked Brock. "It looks like it was built 200 years ago and barely survived the elements each year."

"That barn is as old as the land itself; the barn was one of the first things our ancestors built when they claimed this land," explained Shane. "My dad touches it up every now and again when he gets time, but it's more or less the same as it was all those years ago."

"Amazing…" an awestruck Brock stated. Ash, however, was not impressed as history was not one of his favorite subjects.

"Come on guys!" he exclaimed as he nudged his buddies towards the barn. "You all can talk about the history of this barn _after_ we give Professor Singleton his package!"

The group made their way to the plantation house first and Ash fervently knocked on the door. He waited for a few seconds before knocking again. The third time he knocked repeatedly until Manuel grabbed his hand.

"Yo, ese! I don't think he's here." Ash lowered his hand and sighed.

"Oh man! If he's not here, how are we going to give him the package?!" Ash cried.

"Don't worry, I'll just give him a call!" Shane said. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed the number. The tone rang twice before the other line picked up.

"This is Professor Singleton, may I ask who is speaking?"

"Hey dad, it's me, Shane."

"Oh, why hello Shane! I haven't heard from you in a while. What's going on?"

"Nothing much. I made some new friends, a few guys I met in the woods who came here from Mal. They have a package from Professor Cypress for you." There was a pause before Professor Singleton spoke up.

"Oh…from Veronica…I see. I just returned from an errand I had to run in Goldpond Town and I am currently in the Magnoville Forrest about a half a mile out of Goldpond Town."

"Alright, we were heading that way anyway. Just stay put and we'll meet you there," said Shane.

"Sounds like a plan. Nice hearing from you Shane….oh, and make sure you keep that package safe. Don't shake it up too much, ok?"

"Sure thing dad, love you," Shane replied.

"Love you too, son. I'll see you in a bit." With that, Professor Singleton hung up with Shane following suit.

"He seemed…surprised to hear that the package is from Professor Cypress," Brock remarked. Shane nodded slowly.

"I agree. I wonder what she could possibly have for him…"

"Well, whatever it is, it sounds important," Manuel said.

"The only thing important right now is that we make it to Goldpond Town!" Ash exclaimed as he ran off into the woods.

"Hey! Wait up!" the three remaining friends who were left in his dust shouted as they chased after him.

* * *

Brock doubled over in an attempt to catch his breath.

"I…am getting…too old…for this…" he said to himself between breathes.

"Eh, how much further do we have until we get to your dad?" asked Manuel.

"He should be right up ahead…Ash might already be there," Shane answered.

"Yo Ash! Do you see him?" Manuel called out.

"Yeah!" Ash called back. "I'm right here with him." Manuel and Shane picked up their pace while Brock attempted to catch up with them. After a few seconds, Manuel and Shane caught up to Ash, who was standing next to Professor Singleton. Professor Singleton had Pikachu in his arms and was meticulously scrutinizing her.

"Wow, this is an interesting Pikachu indeed!" he exclaimed as he turned Pikachu various ways inspecting her.

"_Woah, I didn't know I was going to get a pat down!"_ Pikachu cried out. Professor Singleton, who of course couldn't understand her, kept on flipping her every which way.

"I'd say it's a bit plumper than the average Pikachu though…"

"_What did he just say!?_" With that remark, Pikachu had enough and gave Professor Singleton one of her signature Thundershocks. Professor Singleton convulsed violently before collapsing in a heap on the ground.

"Are you alright, Professor Singleton? I'm sorry that Pikachu attacked you," Ash apologized as he scooped up Pikachu. Professor Singleton slowly rose, dusted himself off, and adjusted his glasses.

"Quite fine, actually…you'd be surprised by the number of Pokémon that have shocked me before," he replied. "And don't feel sorry. I instigated the attack by handling your Pokémon without consulting you first. Anyway, how about we have a proper introduction now? My name is Professor Abraham Singleton." Professor Singleton had a similar face to Aaron and Shane; it was almost as if they were clones of each other. The main differences were that Professor Singleton had short, shaggy black hair and green eyes; whereas his sons both had blond hair and blue eyes. Professor Singleton was tall and lanky and wore a trademark white lab coat over a green button up shirt and black slacks. He seemed quite energetic and quickly extended a hand to Ash and his friends.

"So, what are you doing out here today?" asked Shane.

"Well, I picked up a few supplies from the Pokemart in Goldpond and now I am searching for the elusive Trancubus," explained Professor Singleton.

"Is that a Pokémon?" asked Ash. Shane shook his head.

"It's just an urban legend. No one has actually ever seen a Trancubus," Shane stated firmly.

"Oh yeah, I've heard of Trancubus before. It supposedly feeds off the dreams of weary and unsuspecting trainers who wander through the Magnoville Forest," said Manuel.

"Ah, ah, ah; just because you cannot see it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist!" Professor Singleton interjected. "The reports of trainers experiencing strange dreams while traveling has increased over the weeks and I suspect that Trancubus might be in this area!" Ash opened his Poketab and typed in 'Trancubus'.

"Error! There is no official data on this Pokémon," the mechanical voice read back.

"No one has caught a Trancubus, so there isn't any information on it yet…which is why I am searching," said Professor Singleton. Ash struck one of his signature poses with his fist in front of his face.

"I'm gonna try to catch Trancubus, too!" he exclaimed.

"It's impossible, Trancubus doesn't exist," Shane persisted, "most level-headed people believe that there is some type of fungus indigenous to the Magnoville Forest which emits spores that cause people to have the weird dreams."

"If there was a fungus, I would have found it by now," Professor Singleton said.

"If there was a Trancubus you would have found it by now!" exclaimed Shane.

"Touché…"

"You guys are really fast," said Brock as he finally caught up with the group.

"No, you're just getting to old to keep up with me!" exclaimed Ash as he began to flex his muscles.

"No way! I'm just not used to running this much since I haven't traveled in a while," Brock said. "So, did you give him the package?" Ash facepalmed.

"All this talk about Trancubus made me forget why we came here in the first place," said Ash. He reached into his knapsack and removed the small package, which he then handed to Professor Singleton.

"Ah yes…why thank you," said Professor Singleton as he took the package and placed it in his own bag. The group stood in place for a few seconds before Manuel spoke up.

"Well…are you going to open it?"

"Why should I? You have no business nosing around my things!" Professor Singleton answered sharply.

"That was anticlimactic…" Brock stated.

"Nevermind," said Ash, "we need to get to the Gym anyway. Do you know which way it is?"

"Of course, just keep heading straight up that path and you'll be there in a matter of minutes," said Professor Singleton as he pointed to a beaten path nearby.

"Thanks!" Ash was ready to run off again when Brock stopped him.

"Don't you think you should train a little more before your battle?" he asked.

"Why?" asked Ash who was growing impatient.

"Well, you've only battled the Bug Brothers and April," Brock said, "Lavader did ok in the first battle, but got destroyed by April. You should probably try to work with Lavader a bit more before you go face the Gym Leader…even if he does only use Bug type." Ash pondered his older friend's words.

"Hmm…I guess you're right…ok then! Lavader, I choose you!" Ash shouted as he pulled the Pokeball off his belt and threw it into the air. The area was once again shrouded by Lavader's obsidian aura before Lavader appeared.

"Alright Lavader, listen up. We've been in two battles and we're about to go battle our first Gym Leader. So if we're going to win, you're gonna have to listen to me instead of ignoring my commands, ok?" Lavader blinked at Ash before looking away and hissing.

"This isn't going to be easy…" Manuel said.

"I know," Brock piped in, "why don't you two have a training battle?"

"Me and Ash?" asked Manuel.

"Sure, why not?"

"That sounds like an idea!" Ash, who was eager for any battle, exclaimed.

"Alright, but I'm not gonna go easy on you, ese!"

"Neither will I!" Ash shot back.

"You two should just use one Pokémon, since Ash only really needs to train Lavader. I think Pikachu can sit this one out," Brock said.

"Sounds fair," Manuel said.

"Let's do it then!"

* * *

Ash and Manuel stood on opposite sides of a clearing. Brock, who was referee, was standing in the middle, while Shane and his dad watched from the sidelines.

"This is a one-on-one Pokémon battle. Remember guys, this is a training battle; so no fainting your opponents Pokémon and don't go too hard. Begin!"

"Go, Teddiursa!" Manuel shouted as he threw the Pokeball into the air. Teddiursa popped out and growled.

"Teddiurrrsa!"

"So you're going with Teddiursa?" asked Ash.

"Yep. Charmander already got to battle, so I'm going to give Teddiursa a chance."

"Alright then, I'll go first. Lavader, let's start things off with a Quick Attack!" Ash shouted. As soon as the command left Ash's lips, Lavader shot across the clearing and slammed into Teddiursa, who flew backwards into a tree.

"Nice Quick Attack. Now, Teddiursa, get up and hit 'em with Fury Swipes!" Teddiursa rose slowly and growled at Lavader. His claws began to glow a bright white as he charged towards Lavader.

"Dodge it Lavader!" With a hiss, Lavader swiftly slithered out of the way just as Teddiursa slashed his claws through the air.

"Oh man! That Lavader is way too fast…I'm gonna have to try a different approach…" said Manuel. He thought for a moment before snapping. "I've got it! Teddiursa, use Fake Tears!" Teddiursa nodded and turned in Lavader's direction. He then put on a face that would make Puss-in-Boots proud. Teddiursa grabbed his face and began to wail, his big black eyes let out a torrential downpour.

"Why'd you use Fake Tears?" Ash, who wasn't known for going on the defensive, seemed very confused.

"It's actually a very strategic move," Professor Singleton chimed in, "Lavader are known for having very low defensive stats, and by using Fake Tears, Lavader's special defense is being lowered even more than it already is. That way, just one or two well placed attacks could end this battle!"

"Well let's make sure he doesn't get the chance to hit us! Lavader, use Glare!" Lavader turned to Teddiursa, who had stopped his crocodile tears, and hissed menacingly. It stared down Teddiursa with a look that seemed to pierce his soul. Lavader's glare was so intense that even Manuel was frozen in place for a few seconds.

"Come on Teddiursa, shake it off!" Manuel pleaded. No matter how hard Teddiursa tried, he could not move.

"Great, now…" Ash started. However, Lavader interrupted him when it reared back its head and shot a great searing pillar of fire straight at Teddiursa. The conflagration was so intense that it consumed three nearby trees as well as Teddiursa, who fainted.

The group stood stupefied as their minds could not register what had just happened. Beads of sweat ran down their backs as the air was still hot from the extreme inferno. Finally, Brock broke the silence.

"Um…Teddiursa is unable to battle. Lavader is the winner…" Manuel frantically ran over to Teddiursa, who lay immobile on the charred stump of what was before a healthy tree.

"Good job, Teddiursa…return," Manuel said solemnly as he returned Teddiursa to his Pokeball.

"Fascinating," said Professor Singleton who snapped back to reality, "Ash, when did you receive your Lavader?"

"Um…two days ago," Ash replied.

"I see…and how many battles has Lavader participated in?"

"Well, we battled the Bug Brothers and won. Then I battled April and Lavader got destroyed. And then there was this battle, so three," Ash recounted each event. Professor Singleton beamed.

"Ash…you are aware that the attack Lavader used was Flamethrower…not Ember. And not only was that Flamethrower, it was one of the most powerful Flamethrowers I have ever witnessed. I'd say it was equivalent to that of a level 65 Charizard's Flamethrower! This is astounding! For a Lavader to use such a powerful attack so early in its development is unheard of…two days and it already knows Flamethrower!" Professor Singleton could barely contain his excitement. Ash however, did not share his sentiment.

"I guess that's cool…but Lavader used it without my command; and just when I thought we were finally getting some chemistry. And on top of that, it fainted Teddiursa, which was against the rules!" Ash glared at Lavader on his last point, but Lavader was unfazed and returned the glare. "Ugh! I don't think I'm ever gonna get through to you!"

"It is a shame that we couldn't get a recording of that powerful attack. I'm sure there are several scientists, myself included, that would love to study how your Lavader was able to learn such a powerful move so early in its development," said Professor Singleton with a sigh.

"Actually," Shane piped in, "I recorded the battle with my tablet. I thought Ash and Manuel might want something to reference when they got to the Gym."

"Wonderful! Send me a copy of the video and I'll pass it around to some of my colleagues. This must be looked into immediately!" Professor Singleton said.

"It's a shame it was at Teddiursa's expense, though," said Shane who was busy creating the email to send to his father.

"Su nada," Manuel said as he walked back over to the group, "the Pokémon Center is close by; Teddiursa will be fine."

"Still, I think we should head over there as soon as possible," said Brock, "Teddiursa might have some serious burns from that Flamethrower. It was really powerful; I don't think I've ever seen one like it."

"Guess this is goodbye then," said Shane as he turned to his dad and gave him a hug.

"I shall see you another time, my son. Until then, I will be fervently studying this data. Oh, and keep an eye out for Trancubus for me, ok?" said Professor Singleton. Shane rolled his eyes on the last statement.

"Will do; I'm gonna catch it just for you!" Ash exclaimed. "Come on guys, let's get to the Pokémon Center, stat!" With that, Ash ran off once again.

"Not again…" Brock moaned as he and the others ran after Ash.

* * *

"There you go, your Pokémon are as good as new!" exclaimed Nurse Joy as and Audino held out a tray with Lavader and Teddiursa's Pokeballs.

"Audinooo"

"Thanks!" Ash and Manuel took their respective Pokeballs and returned them to their belts.

"No problem. I must say, your Teddiursa had some severe burns…he must have been consumed by an intense fire," said Nurse Joy.

"Not as intense as the fire that burns in my heart for you right now!" Brock said as he took Nurse Joy's hand and dropped down on one knee, hearts forming in his eyes. Nurse Joy and Audino sweatdropped.

"Auuudinooo…"

"Oh my…" was Nurse Joy's only reply. Brock broke his stance and coughed before continuing.

"But on a serious note, my name is Brock and I am an IPHA certified Pokémon Doctor. I'm just going to need to have a look around and make sure your Pokémon Center is up to standards," Brock stated. Nurse Joy smiled.

"Of course, right this way…Doc Brock," Nurse Joy giggled and interlocked her arm with Brock's. Upon this gesture, Brock blushed a little as she and Audino led him off.

"Wow, I can't believe she wasn't creeped out by Brock…this is a first," Ash said blankly.

"Hah, my man Brock is spittin' game!" Manuel cheered.

"Now that your Pokémon are in full health, how about we head over to the Gym?" Shane suggested.

"Yes! I've been waiting two days for this!" Ash said as he and Manuel followed Shane out the door.

When they exited the Pokémon Center they were met by the humid southern air. Goldpond was a simple town; it consisted of one long road, not surprisingly named Main Street, with several smaller roads branching off in perpendicular to the main road. Lined up on either side of Main Street were several shops and small businesses, as well as the Pokémon Center, Pokemart, Town Hall, and Courthouse. Aside from the heat, it was a lovely day and many people were out walking along Main Street. Each time someone walked by the group, they would smile and wave; and the group returned the gesture.

"Wow, this place is _way_ different than Mal…no one ever waves to you in my hometown," said Manuel. He was fascinated by the politeness of the people in Goldpond Town…which was a rarity in Mal.

"This place is like something out of a children's book," Ash said. Shane laughed.

"Well Goldpond Town is known as 'A little slice of Southern heaven'!"

"They live up to their name," said Manuel.

"So where's the Gym?" asked Ash who was growing impatient. "All I see is this main street with a bunch of side streets…is it down one of those?"

"It's right up ahead on this side street called 'The Yellow Brick Road'," said Shane as he pointed ahead to a street marker titled The Yellow Brick Road.

"Why do they call it that?" asked Manuel.

"Well, when people started realizing that Gold Pond could be used as a tourist attraction, the road leading to Gold Pond was repaved with yellow bricks…you know like 'The Wizard of Oz'," Shane answered. Sure enough, when the trio arrived at the street marker, the road was paved with yellow bricks. The threesome walked down the Yellow Brick Road which led to a large pond. On the surface of the pond floated hundreds of Bug Pokémon that looked similar to American Coackroaches the size of a basketball with dome-like exoskeletons. The exoskeleton shell glowed a vivid golden color which lit up the entire pond like a shimmering aureate canvas.

"Dios mio…es magnifico! There's so many that you can barely see the water; pond is glowing with a golden aura," Manuel remarked.

"Hey Pikachu, Misty would freak out wouldn't she? There's got to be like 500 of them out there," Ash snickered.

"_Misty would probably die from a massive conniption fit!_" Pikachu exclaimed. "_Or…she'd state how romantic the lake looked…who knows; maybe she'd even hold your hand…_" Pikachu teased.

"That's enough!" Ash quickly cut her off. Ash hated to admit it, but a part of him wished that Misty was by his side to witness the beauty of nature that was occurring before their very eyes.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" asked an older man who suddenly appeared out of nowhere. The man was of Japanese descent and appeared to be in his mid 50s. Despite his age, he sported a fu manchu moustache/beard combination which was jet black; he was also slightly balding, but a bit of equally black hair rounded the sides of his head as well. He was of average height as he was taller than Ash, but shorter than Shane (who was 6'2''); so around Brock's height. His skin had a tanned olive complexion with wrinkles on his forehead and around his dimples. The man was wearing a simple black kimono with a design of a red Yanmega around the bottom done in traditional Japanese style. He also wore a red sash around his waist which kept the kimono together. Ash and Manuel were startled by the man, while Shane turned to him and bowed.

"Sensei, kon'nichiwa," said Shane. The man returned a bow.

"O hisashiburi desu ne!" The man replied with a slight chuckle. Shane laughed with him.

"Indeed!" Ash and Manuel stood by awkwardly until Shane noticed.

"Forgive me," said Shane, "these are two friends I have recently made, Ash and Manuel."

"Um…kon'nichiwa?" Ash hesitantly said. The man laughed and raised his hand in dismissal.

"No need, young one. I speak English fluently."

"Oh, good…Well, I'm Ash from Pallet Town," said Ash.

"Ah yes, you are the one with the Lavader, correct?" asked the man. Ash was shocked.

"How…how do you know that?" The man laughed heartily once again.

"Because, I am always in the forest observing my competition," he replied. A look of realization swept Ash's face.

"Wait a minute…you're the Goldpond Gym Leader!" Ash exclaimed.

"The one and only, Arthur Poda," the man replied with a bow.

"Isn't spying on our battles…cheating?" asked Manuel.

"Not at all. I am simply observing my competition. I like to get a good look at what I am going up against," he answered.

"Now that we've finally found you I'm totally stoked!" Ash exclaimed. "We have to battle now!"

"Follow me young one, the Gym is just beyond the Gold Pond," said Arthur Poda as he led the group past the Gold Pond and to the large Gym. When they arrived, Ash stared at the door before entering.

"Finally…my first Acirema Gym battle!"

* * *

**Ash will finally get his coveted first Gym battle next chapter! Just to note: it is currently the afternoon in the story, around 1 pm. It is NOT the evening...so the Bug Pokemon in Gold Pond are glowing even though it is the day; they glow perpetually. How will Ash and Manuel fare in their first Acirema Gym battle? Does Arthur Poda have an unfair advantage after spying on their practice battle? Will we learn the name of the glowing Bug Pokemon? (just teasing, of course we will ;D). What is this mysterious Trancubus and can Ash succeed in catching it? Find out in the next exciting installment of Adventures in Acirema! **

**Remember to leave a quick review! And Fav/Alert if you're really feeling generous XD**


	8. Chapter 8: Goldpond Gym: Take 1!

**Its been a while, but Chapter 8 is here! Ash will finally get to have his first battle in Acirema. Let's see how it goes!**

* * *

The scent of fresh flora and foliage greeted Ash as he entered the large Gym. He stood at the main entrance and took a deep breath to satisfy his senses. Arthur Poda noticed Ash's visage and grinned.

"Pleasing…is it not?"

"Yes sir; it smells _amazing_ in here!" Ash exclaimed.

"That is because the Gym doubles as a Botanical Garden. In fact, the Goldpond Botanical Gardens has the largest array of flora in all of Acirema! We have plants, trees, and flowers from all over the region and even a few from other regions as well. It is also a sanctuary for Bug and Grass type Pokémon. We take Pokémon that are abandoned, abused and recovered from disasters. We also watch Bug and Grass types for trainers that voluntarily drop them off; much like how Professors hold excess Pokémon for trainers," Arthur Poda explained proudly.

"Sounds like this place does a lot of good," said Manuel.

"Indeed," Shane said, "this is one of my favorite places in Acirema, aside from the Magnoville Forest of course. One would never guess that there could be so many different types of trees, flowers and plants in the region. Walking through the Gardens is a most humbling experience. If only those greedy scrooges at Pokelectronix would pay this place a visit…they would never touch a forest again."

"Ah yes…I remember the deforestation project well. However, it is not admirable to hold grudges, young one. We must learn to forgive our aggressors, even when the acts they commit seem beyond absolution," Arthur Poda firmly stated.

"You are right, sensei." Shane agreed with a slight nod.

The group walked past a welcome desk which was littered with pamphlets and guides detailing the many different types of flora that could be found in the Gardens. The Botanical Garden was massive; had they not been guided by Arthur Poda, Ash would most certainly be lost. As they walked along path after path, Ash marveled at the strange-looking plants that were before his eyes; there were certainly none like them in Kanto.

"_Paras!_"

Ash was broken out of his day-dreamy state by a Paras that quickly scurried across the path in front of him. He looked up and saw a large group of Kakuna hanging from the branches of a large tree.

"Oh…that's a lot of Kakuna," he said rather hesitantly.

"_I know, try not to disturb them…you never know when those things will evolve and attack!_" Pikachu warned apprehensively. Ash then noticed a large group of Metapod hanging in the trees next to the Kakuna.

"Wow, that's weird…you don't usually see Kakuna and Metapod nesting near each other," Ash said to no one in particular, "must really be…GWAH!" He cried out as he fell back hard on his rear. As he was studying the Kakuna and Metapod, Ash did not notice the person standing in front of him and thus collided hard into the other spectator. Ash rubbed his now tender posterior as he rose slowly.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to…aw man!"

"Well, well, well…fancy meeting you here," said April with a smirk.

"Have you been stalking me?" asked Ash.

"Me? What reason would I have to stalk a loser like you?"

"I…Am…Not…A…LOSER!" Ash growled.

April snickered as she slowly sauntered toward Ash. She was close enough for Ash to smell the perfume on her hair. He couldn't exactly place the scent…it may have been rose, or some type of melon…whatever it was he found it alluring. He began to lose his grip on reality as her essence flooded his senses. She placed her hand on his chest and seductively walked two fingers across his chest up to his chin. Ash's head began to spin…he had no clue what was going on. All he knew was that he wanted April more than anything at that moment. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. She let out a satisfying moan as he began to caress her sides.

"_Arceus Ash, you could watch where you're walking! What'd you bump into anyway?_" Pikachu groaned. She had just recovered from being knocked into a nearby bush from the impact. When Pikachu saw the two trainers, she was left aghast. Just as Ash lifted April's tank top, Pikachu summoned all her rage and hit the two trainers with a powerful Thunderbolt. Ash and April seized and jerked every which way before landing on the ground in smoking heaps.

"Oh…what just happened?" asked Ash as he was snapped back to reality.

"I-I…don't remember…" said April. It was then that she noticed she was shirtless and she scrambled to cover herself with her hands. Pikachu hopped up onto Ash's shoulder and glared at April.

"_What do you mean you don't remember? You know damn well what was going on, you whore! You were seducing Ash! I don't know how you did it…but he was feeling all over you and you liked it!_" Pikachu growled. April, of course, had no clue what Pikachu was "Pika-Pi"-ing about; but Ash understood clearly.

"WE DID WHAT!" he exclaimed.

"There you are ese! We were worried about you man. This is a big place, we thought we'd never find you in…whoa…" said Manuel as he walked up with Arthur Poda and Shane. His eyes widened and his mouth was agape as he stared at the two, particularly April who was currently slipping her tank top back over her head. While everyone else seemed speechless, Arthur Poda just chuckled at the scene before him.

"What's so funny!?" April snapped.

"Forgive me…but this is not the first time I have witnessed such a series of events," said Arthur Poda. Ash blushed profusely and turned his head.

"Wh-what do you mean?" he stuttered.

"No need to be embarrassed, young one. For these plants you are standing next to are called Aphrodisia. They emit spores which mess with people's heads and cause them to enter a state of primal sexual desire," explained Arthur Poda.

"So…so she didn't seduce me?" asked Ash.

"What? Why would I want to do that!?" April shouted.

"I don't know…you're really weird when it comes to that kind of stuff," Ash shrugged. Arthur Poda laughed again.

"No, she did not seduce you; it was the plants. You see, inside the plant is a delicious fruit that Bug and Grass types love to eat. However, once the fruit is pulled from the plant, it dies. So, to counter this, the plant emits the spores which cause the Pokémon to lose their grip on reality and focus only on their primal instinct. For Pokémon, their primal instinct usually drives them mad…while it causes humans to manifest their sexual desires," Arthur Poda explained.

"Why would you have a plant like that here!" exclaimed Ash.

"We represent all forms of plant-life here at the Gardens. Also, if you had been paying attention, young one, there is a warning sign right there," Arthur Poda said as he pointed to a nearby sign which outlined the abilities of the plant. Ash rubbed the back of his head.

"Well…that was embarrassing," April said slowly.

"Uh…yeah…hehehe…"

"_You're lucky you weren't pulling anything…cause if you ever do try something…"_

"Ok Pikachu," Ash said as he picked up his fuming companion. He then turned to April. "Why were you here anyway?"

"I beat the Gym Leader a few hours ago. After our battle, he said he was going out on a patrol in the Forest, so I hung around to look at all of the plants and Pokémon," April explained.

"You beat him already?" asked Ash. April smirked.

"Yep. You'll just have to face the fact that I'll always be better than you," she said. Ash growled and turned to Arthur Poda.

"We need to have our battle…now!" he exclaimed.

"Hmm…a bit hasty aren't we, young one? No matter, I shall lead you to the battle area. We would have been there already if you had not strayed from the path. Follow me," said Arthur Poda as he led the group through the dense Garden.

* * *

The group arrived at a large battlefield that was stationed in the middle of several trees and bushes. There were a few small trees scattered about the field, but other than that it was fairly standard. There was also a bench area, where Shane, Manuel and April went to sit.

"Why are you still here?" Ash asked April.

"Why not? I'm a grown woman, I can decide where I want to be can't I?" she replied flatly.

"Whatever…I'm psyched for this battle!" Ash exclaimed.

"Good…I like a fired up competitor. Just be wary that you do not become overzealous, young one. Now, as Gym Leader it is my duty to show you my Pokémon first," said Arthur Poda. He pulled a Pokeball out of his kimono and threw it onto the field. When the light dissipated, an Ariados took its place.

"_Ariados!_"

"Alright then…Lavader, I choose you!" Ash exclaimed as he threw Lavader's Pokeball onto the battlefield. Lavader rose from the dark shroud and hissed.

"So you think you'll defeat our father?"

"Think again, you're just a bother,"

"Try as you might, but you shall fail,"

"And to your mommy you will wail!"

"Oh boy…" Ash said to himself. As soon as their speech was done, the Bug Brothers fell out of a nearby tree onto the battlefield.

"Excuse me, my sons, but I am in the middle of a battle," said Arthur Poda firmly.

"We are sorry father," started Terry.

"We just wanted to cheer you on," Jerry finished.

"It was Jerry's idea to drop in like that…he is the younger _and_ brasher one," said Terry.

"But if you went along with his plan, then are you any better than he?" asked Arthur Poda. Jerry stuck his tongue out at his "older" brother as the two took their seats on a bench.

"I am sorry for the sudden intrusion. My two sons seem to enjoy dropping in without prior notice."

"It's fine. We met them before, I know what they're like," said Ash. Arthur Poda then turned to the referee and nodded.

"This will be a two-on-two single battle. The challenger may substitute his Pokémon, but the Leader may not. Whichever side runs out of usable Pokémon first will be the loser. Begin!"

"Let's start this off right! Lavader, use bite!" Lavader shot across the battlefield with blazing speed which caught Arthur Poda off guard. It clamped its powerful jaws onto Ariados' abdomen, causing Ariados to cry out in pain.

"Hmm…I was not expecting you to attack so quickly. That Lavader is one of the fastest I have witnessed; you must train it well," Arthur Poda complemented.

"I'd like to take all the credit, but Lavader's got its own natural speed," Ash replied.

"Interesting…Ariados, shake it off and attack with String Shot!" Ariados struggled to shake free, but managed; then turned around and covered Lavader in its sticky white thread.

"Good strategy, sensei is using String Shot to lower Lavader's speed, thus taking away its advantage," Shane pointed out.

"Of course, our father always has the best plan to take down an opponent!" exclaimed Terry.

"Come on Lavader, you've gotta shake it off!" shouted Ash. However, Lavader remained motionless; it seemed to have given up.

"Ariados, Fury Swipes!" Arthur Poda commanded. Ariados scurried toward Lavader with a wild look in its eyes.

"Come on Lavader…you've got to listen to me!" Ash was getting angry at this point, which seemed to make Lavader happy. The feral creature stared at him with what one would think was a grin…though it was hard to tell with its round mouth full of fangs.

Ariados closed in on Lavader and initiated its attack. Its front claws hacked and slashed mercilessly at Lavader's body. Eventually, it was too much and Lavader collapsed in defeat.

"Lavader is unable to battle. Ariados is the winner!"

"It seems you and your Lavader have a long way to go before any chemistry is built between you, young one," Arthur Poda pointed out. This made Ash angry, because he knew it was true. For some reason, Lavader wouldn't listen to him. Sometimes it would obey; and other times it would just do whatever it felt like. Ash was no stranger to rebellious Pokémon, but it was still hard to deal with.

"Well, Pikachu and I have lots of chemistry…so I'm not giving up yet!" exclaimed Ash. Pikachu jumped onto the battlefield and growled at Ariados.

"Very well, young one, just be sure to not go brashly into battle without a plan," said Arthur Poda.

"Hmph…Pikachu, hit 'em with Electro ball!" Pikachu gathered electricity in her cheeks, channeled it through her body and into her tail

"_Pika, pika, pika, Pikachu-pi!_" she shouted as she threw the large ball of electricity at Ariados.

"Ariados…dodge!" Ariados shot a web up into a nearby tree and swiftly swung out the way before the Thunderbolt could make contact.

"Grr…Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" Ash commanded. Pikachu's tail hardened and she ran towards the tree Ariados was hiding in.

"Ariados, Double Team!" Arthur Poda shouted. Ariados jumped down from the tree and stood firm. Suddenly, multiple Ariados encircled Pikachu who became confused.

"_Which one is it?_" Pikachu said to herself as she darted back and forth, trying to find the original.

"Now, cover yourself with Spider Web!" The Ariados all shot their web into the air and covered themselves with the sticky substance.

"Forget it, we'll just hit all of them," said Ash, "Use Thunderbolt!" Pikachu summoned all the electricity in her body and focused.

"_Piiiikkkaaachuuu!_" She released the electricity in the form of a Thunderbolt which hit all the clones and forced them to disappear. The real Ariados was also shocked, but stood firm.

"How is that possible?" asked Ash.

"The web which Ariados covered itself in took a good bit of the attack's power," explained Arthur Poda.

"That's our father," said Terry.

"He _always_ has a plan!" exclaimed Jerry.

"But Ash doesn't," April remarked, "he's just blindly attacking without thinking at all! He needs to formulate some sort of plan or else he's going to lose!" Manuel gave April a funny look.

"Why do you care? I thought you wanted to see him lose?" Manuel asked.

"I-I…well," April stammered. Manuel smirked.

"You _do_ care if he loses…don't you?" he asked with a grin.

"What? No! He can get destroyed for all I care," April said as she looked away from Manuel and rubbed her arm, "he's a terrible trainer anyway…"

"_Riiigghhhttt_," said Manuel incredulously.

"Let's try Quick Attack then!" Pikachu revved up and charged toward Ariados.

"Dodge it with Agility, then follow up with a Poison Jab!" Ariados quickly moved out of the way as Pikachu flew past. While Pikachu's back was turned, Ariados struck her with a poisonous barb. Pikachu instantly began to shake and felt her head spinning.

"Pikachu!" Ash shouted.

"You should have expected something like this to happen and prepared accordingly," said Arthur Poda flatly. Ash was tired of people trying to tell him how to battle.

"Gah! Pikachu, focus and try Iron Tail again!" he commanded. However, Pikachu couldn't move fast enough as the poison was slowly crawling through her body, causing her to convulse sporadically.

"Let us put poor Pikachu out of her misery…Psychic attack!" Ariados' eyes began to glow purple as it concentrated on Pikachu. Pikachu was soon enveloped in the purple aura and raised in the air. Ariados used its psychic control to slam Pikachu into a tree, where she slumped over in defeat.

"Pikachu is unable to battle, Ariados is the winner. The challenger has failed to defeat the Gym Leader and will not be awarded the Buzz Badge," the referee ruled.

Ash was stricken with anger. He grabbed Pikachu and ran out of the Gym, holding his head down all the way.

"Hey, wait up!" Manuel called as he got up to run after his friend. However, Shane stopped him with a hand on his shoulder and a shake of the head. After a long awkward silence, Terry spoke up.

"Just as I had predicted."

* * *

A stone broke the surface of what was before a calm and pristine pond, followed by a loud, exasperated scream.

"Why?!" Ash shouted, violently throwing another stone into the small pond. "What did I do wrong?" He tried his hardest…he had given his all; isn't that what you were supposed to do? It had worked in all the other Gym battles he had been in.

It was Lavader.

That damned Pokémon wouldn't listen to him to save its life! He had dealt with rebellious Pokémon before, Charizard came to mind; but this was a different scenario. Charizard had been disobeying him because it didn't think he was a strong enough trainer. Lavader seemed to disobey him because it enjoyed to. It loved to see him upset; it thrived off of his fury.

"This is your fault!" Ash shouted as he pulled out the Pokeball and held it in his hand. His grip tightened on the red and white ball which held the object of his indignation. "Why can't you just be like a normal Pokémon and listen! Pikachu listens, and we have a great relationship because of that. Pikachu listens to me, and I listen to her…everyone wins! But not with you! No…you look at me with those beady red eyes and ugly fanged grin, and just do whatever the hell you feel like!" Ash closed his eyes and was brought back to Professor Cypress' laboratory in Mal.

_"…most trainers, realizing how hard it is to raise a Lavader, release the Lavader."_

He hadn't believed her; not entirely anyway. He'd raised his fair share of strong-headed Pokémon, so he thought he'd be able to handle it. Hell, he'd gone toe-to-toe with Legendaries before…so why was this so difficult? Maybe it was better if he released Lavader…after all, Professor Cypress would let him pick a new starter. Or maybe he'd give Professor Oak a ring and pick up a couple of his old buddies…yeah, that'd be nice.

Ash cocked his arm back and prepared to throw the Pokeball into the woods. With his hand held above his head, he muttered a few words.

"It was a good run…I guess…" With that, he thrust his hand forward.

But it was caught by a hand grabbing his wrist before he could finish the motion. Ash slowly turned to see who it was that had stopped him and gaped.

"A-April?"

She didn't say anything. Instead, she let go of his wrist and gave him a firm smack to the side of his face.

Well, he wasn't surprised anymore.

"What the hell was that for?" Ash shouted, massaging his now tender face.

"That's it…you're just going to give up?"

"I'm…I'm not giving-"

"Wow, you really are a loser. Go ahead and throw the Pokeball into the woods; run away from your problems instead of facing them like a man."

"What is your _problem_?" Ash asked.

"My problem? _My problem?_ _I'm_ not the one that gives up after the first Gym battle in a new region. _I'm_ not the one that throws Pokeballs with helpless Pokémon in them into the wild." Ash blinked. She did have a point there, it wouldn't be very responsible for him to just throw Lavader's Pokeball into the woods and leave it there. He began to feel embarrassed and looked away.

"I-I didn't mean…I wasn't really…I was just…"

"Just what? Angry? Sad? Embarrassed?" she asked rhetorically. "Well, it would be very cowardly of you to just give up like this. The 'Great Ash Ketchum', savior of the world…defeated by a little snake."

"That thing isn't a snake…it's a demon!" Ash shot back.

"Ok, so a flaming snake."

"Why are you even here anyway? I thought you hated me! You of all people should be happy that I failed!" Ash exclaimed. April blinked before quickly looking away to hide her face.

Ash, now exasperated, leaned his back against a tree and looked up into the sky. A Butterfree flew past them and landed on a nearby tree. It sucked on the glistening, amber colored sap oozing from a gash in the tree. From the look of it, Ash could tell that it was a baby. Funny, he wondered where its parents were; it wasn't like Butterfree to travel alone.

"I…I just want to help you," she said, finally breaking the silence. Ash looked away from the Butterfree and lifted an eyebrow at her.

"You…help me? Why? What's in it for you? There's gotta be some catch," Ash said incredulously.

"Not really…" she started.

"At this point though, I really don't know what to do," Ash interrupted her, "and you did beat him after all. So…I guess I could use your help; but I'm not doing anything too drastic for you!" April smirked; she hadn't originally required anything in return, but now a few things came to mind.

"Oh no, I've seen that smirk before. Gary used to smirk like that all the time when he was planning something sneaky…what are you thinking?" he asked.

"Nothing…hey, where's Pikachu?" she asked, avoiding his question.

"Well, I'm not a total fail of a trainer. I dropped her off at the Pokémon Center before I went on my rampage out here," he explained. She held her smirk and moved closer to Ash. Ash was a bit uneasy, but didn't move.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing," she lied as she was now sitting next to Ash under the tree, "I just had a thought."

"And…uh…what might that thought be?" he asked with a slight gulp. She began to draw circles on Ash's chest with her finger.

"I was just thinking; Pikachu isn't here to…interrupt us…" she flicked his nose on the last point and giggled. What in the world was wrong with this girl? Maybe she was bi-polar, or had multiple personality disorder. Yeah, she definitely had a mental condition, he thought to himself. Maybe Brock could give her a look over…where _was_ Brock anyway?

"Um…yeah…she's not," he said slowly. Then, she did something he totally didn't expect…she laid her head on his chest. Ash was left dumbfounded…he felt his mouth go dry and his throat constrict. Things like this didn't happen often to the humble boy from Pallet Town…he wasn't used to being alone…with a girl…in the middle of the forest. Sure, he'd traveled with plenty of girls, but this was different. This girl was…well, she was hot. He'd thought his other friends were pretty, but he could never think of them like _that_…well, except for Misty. And he'd had a few…_pleasant_ dreams about Dawn, but those did not need to be spoken of. Once again, Ash was in a situation we're he didn't know what to do.

He could smell the perfume on her hair once again and a few stray hairs were lingering around his mouth. Ash still wasn't totally convinced about that whole Aphrodisia plant thing…April would be the one to have a weird, seductive perfume. For all he knew, she could have Aphrodisia scented perfume! She had not moved her head from his chest yet, so he thought it might be appropriate to stroke her hair as she lay on him.

Wrong move.

April leapt up and gave him another forceful slap across the face. Ash yelped and held the side of his face; that was probably the last thing he was expecting at that moment.

"What the hell!" he shouted. April just stood in front of him with a look of disappointment. She offered her hand to help him up, which he took reluctantly.

"So many mistakes just then…you still have so much to learn," she said while shaking her head and thinking to herself.

"What do you mean I 'still have so much to learn'?" Ash asked with an edge. He was exasperated now and just wanted to know what the hell she was talking about.

"I was testing you just then…I said I wanted to help, remember?"

Ash blinked.

"Testing me?"

"Yep."

"How is any of what just happened going to help me win the Gym battle?" he asked incredulously.

"I've learned a lot of things about you just now. Things that will help me to help you," she answered.

"That didn't really answer my question, but ok…"

"Do you know why you lost your Gym battle?" she asked.

"If I knew that, I wouldn't be out here," he snapped. She ignored his snarky remark.

"You lost because you were too excited and completely jumped the gun. You came into the battle without a plan," she said.

"Or, because Lavader won't listen to me," Ash said.

"Well, that's part of the reason; but you really should have thought out a strategy beforehand, even if it is the first Gym," she replied.

"So what do you have in mind?"

"You need to find a way to connect with Lavader. You're the one who trains Pokémon with your heart…figure out a way to connect with Lavader and we can come up with a solid game plan," April said.

"I've tried to connect with Lavader, but every time it looks like we're making progress it just ignores me! I don't know how to reach it," he groaned.

"I'll help you then," said April. She threw a Pokeball out and a Golem appeared. "You know that you have to trade Graveler to make them evolve into Golem right?" Ash nodded. "Well, when I got Golem back it wouldn't listen to me for anything. Golem was one of the most hard-headed Pokémon I've ever trained…in fact, I almost traded him back. However, I decided to keep at it and eventually he came around." She rubbed Golem on the head, who responded with a pleased growl.

"How did you reach him?" Ash asked.

"I got Golem back when I was still training Pokémon kind of like you do…with my heart instead of my head. I just showed Golem that I wasn't going to give up on him, that I was going to try and try no matter how hard it was going to get. He saw my tenacity and confidence and that inspired him to come around. So, Lavader just needs to see that you aren't going to give up and it'll come around eventually," she explained.

"Alright then," Ash nodded as he took Lavader's Pokeball back out, "come on out Lavader!" Lavader emerged from the black shroud, glanced at Ash and hissed. Then, it turned its sights to Golem and glared. Lavader reared its head back and the powerful Flamethrower shot out its mouth and engulfed Golem and a tree that was nearby it.

April and Ash were shocked by Lavader's sudden aggression and stood agape. After a beat, Ash frowned.

"You see?"

"Wow…I-I don't ever think I've seen a Flamethrower that intense! Why didn't you just use that against Arthur Poda? You would've taken care of him easily," she said.

"Don't you care about Golem?" Ash asked.

"Golem's fine, right?" she asked.

_"Golem!"_ it nodded in response.

"It's gonna take a lot more than that to knock out one of my Pokémon; though that was a pretty powerful attack," she remarked.

"I know, and it just learned Flamethrower earlier today," Ash added.

"Well, how about we try another attack?" she asked. "I'll bet Lavader can learn Dig if we practice hard enough!"

"Maybe," Ash turned to Lavader, "you up for it?" Lavader nodded, which caught Ash completely off guard.

"See, before you know it that buzz badge will be yours!" April beamed.

* * *

**After all that, Ash gets stomped! Hopefully April will be able to give him some pointers on how to best attack Arthur Poda. Will Ash beat the Gym on his second try? How will Manuel's battle fare? Is Ash developing feelings for April? And, more importantly, where the hell is Brock?! Find out on the next exciting installment of Adventures in Acirema!**

**P.S.- If you haven't already, check out my new story "A New Life". Its a bit of a slice of life story; it was going to be a one-shot, but I decided to extend it a few more chapters. But if you like this story, you're sure to love "A New Life"! Next Chapter coming out soon!**


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